KP creates 300 vacancies for Tourism Police

PESHAWAR: The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has approved the creation of 300 vacancies for the establishment of Tourism Police.

This was told in a meeting of Tourism Department held here on Monday with Chief Minister Mahmood khan in the chair, said an official handout. Special Assistant to Prime Minister, Syed Zulfiqar Bukhari attended the meeting on special invitation. Secretary Tourism Abid Majeed, Special Secretary to CM, Muhammad Khaliq, Additional Secretary Tourism, Junaid Khan and other officials of the Tourism Department attended the meeting. The meeting reviewed the progress made so far on various developmental schemes launched to boost tourism sector in the province as well as implementation status of prime minister directives in this regard. Initially, the Tourism Police will be deputed in five touristic districts of the province including Swat, Upper Dir, Chitral, Abbottabad and Mansehra. District level officers of the Tourism Police will be hired from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa police on deputation basis whereas constables and other officials will be recruited on an initial basis. This police will function as a special wing of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Authority.

The meeting was informed that a law has been enacted in the province for the transfer of government premises/properties and rest houses to Tourism Department and outsourcing of these rest houses for revenue generation with the aim to promote tourism activities and to extend maximum facilitation to tourists in the province. It was added that the provincial cabinet had approved the transfer of possession of 167 government own rest houses to Tourism Department for further outsourcing to reputable investors to ensure their better utilization.

Similarly, consultancy services are being hired for the mapping of tourist sites and finalization of marketing plan. The meeting was informed that four different sites have already been identified for the establishment of tourism zones in the province. These include Ghanool in Mansehra, Madaklasht in Chitral, Thandyani Abbottabad and Mankyal in Swat. Eight new sites have also been identified for the establishment of tourism zones which include Kalash valley Chitral, Shahi and Bin Shahi in Lower Dir, Jaroga Fall, Piyah Valley, Niyag Dara in Swat, Margozar, Mahabanr, Eilum Buner, Sirin Valley and Manoor Valley Mansehra.

It was informed that Integrated Tourism Management Plan is being prepared for Hazara and Malakand divisions under which various line departments would work together under a coordinated plan to boost tourism activities in the aforesaid divisions. The meeting was told that Tourism Management Information System is being launched to extend maximum online facilitation, services and information to local and international tourists.

Regarding the construction of access roads in tourist sites of the province, it was informed that seven different projects have been approved which include the construction of Thandiani Road, Mankyal-Barha Sehrai Road, Sheshikooh-Madaklasht Road, Sopat Valley Road, Kalam-Kumrat Road, Patrak-Kumrat road, Thall-Jazbanda Road and access road to Shaikh Badin tourists spot in the southern part of the province. It was informed and added that the feasibility study has been completed for installation of the chairlift at Naran whereas work is in progress on the feasibility of Water Theme Park in Swabi and cable car project at Kumrat under Public-Private Partnership. Special Assistant to Prime Minister Zufiqar Bukhari stressed the need to launch a mass scale campaign to give awareness to the tourists as well as the general public about such initiatives.