ISLAMABAD, Dec 26 (APP):Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul here Thursday said that Mountaineering and tourism can bring much awaited prosperity and economic development to the northern parts of the country. Addressing to the closing ceremony of the 9th Pakistan Mountain Festival, she said that the hardworking natives of the area are the custodians of this indigenous culture. Pakistan is a land of wonderful landscapes with having unmatchable …
Mountaineering, tourism bring much awaited economic development: Zartaj Gul
ISLAMABAD, Dec 26 (APP):Minister of State for Climate Change Zartaj Gul here Thursday said that Mountaineering and tourism can bring much awaited prosperity and economic development to the northern parts of the country. Addressing to the closing ceremony of the 9th Pakistan Mountain Festival, she said that the hardworking natives of the area are the custodians of this indigenous culture.
Pakistan is a land of wonderful landscapes with having unmatchable high mountains, lakes and sufficient scenic beauty to lure the foreign tourists, she said.
In a bid to promote tourism,she said that the government has relaxed its visa policy for the foreign tourists to enhance the tourism influx.
She said that it was need of the hour to have a comprehensive plans to combat the challenge like climate change, poverty and natural disasters.
The State Minister appreciated the Devcom-Pakistan (Development Communications Network) for consistently developing and strengthening the Pakistan Mountain Festival, a flagship annual thematic advocacy event that engages the stakeholders up and downstream.
PYHA National Secretary Ambassador (retd) Qazi Humayun said that the PYHA has thirteen hostels mostly in the mountains that could be used for engaging local youth and students from other parts in to different mountain conservation initiatives.
Speaking on the occasion, Devcom-Pakistan Director and the founder of Pakistan Mountain Festival Munir Ahmed said the main focus of festival was to engaging youth, mountains communities up and downstream to create a synergy for raising voice for mountain conservation and development.
The Minister of State for Climate Change also distributed awards and souvenirs among the partners of the festival.
The first K2 climber Ashraf Aman, Chief Executive Officer Pakistan Poverty Alleviation Fund (PPAF) Qazi Azmat Isa, National Secretary of the Pakistan Youth Hostels Association (PYHA) Ambassador (retd) Qazi Humayun, WaterAid Advocacy coordinator Zartasha Niazi, Aga Khan Rural Support Programme Manager Altaf Hussain Shah, and Country Coordinator of the Italian development organisation Ev-K2-CNR Riazul Hassan were also present on the occasion.
