ISLAMABAD, Apr 16 (APP): Chief Minister Gilgit-Baltistan, Haji Gulbar Khan and Federal Minister for Communications Abdul Aleem Khan held a meeting and discuss key matters, including the construction of highways and roads in Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).
The federal minister emphasized that the proposed Motorway for Mansehra, Kaghan and Naran could be game changer for the area. He highlighted the need for new five-star hotels on tourist destinations such as Gilgit, Skardu which can support the growing tourism, said a press release issued here on Wednesday.
Abdul Aleem Khan stated that the scenic and tourism-rich northern areas of Pakistan hold immense importance and that it is crucial to provide maximum facilities to the people visiting here. He announced that all highways in Gilgit-Baltistan will be integrated with the Rescue 1122 Emergency Service and if required, helicopter services will also be introduced to further facilitate in emergency response. He reiterated that the promotion of tourism is a major goal and that rapid development of road infrastructure is essential to transform tourist destinations in Gilgit-Baltistan to match the standards of developed countries.
During the meeting, Chief Minister Haji Gulbar Khan expressed his gratitude for the support extended by the Federal Minister Communications Abdul Aleem Khan in the past year and acknowledged the various initiatives launched by NHA including induction of Motorway Police. He assured full cooperation from the Provincial Government of Gilgit-Baltistan to the National Highway Authority (NHA). It was agreed during the meeting that on the directives of the Federal Minister, the Federal Secretary for Communications and the Chairman of the NHA will soon undertake a visit to Gilgit-Baltistan. They will hold meetings with the Provincial Government to resolve outstanding issues and finalize further actions. Chief Minister also identified several roads within the province that require immediate attention. In response, the Federal Minister instructed the officers of the Ministry of Communications to comprehensively address all matters during their visit by ensuring smooth and effective implementation.