Mafias benefiting from corrupt system: PM

MANSEHRA/ISLAMABAD: Declaring tourism as one of the greatest sources of revenue generation for the country and employment opportunities, Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday said a green and clean Pakistan was his vision to attract tourists to this heavenly land.

"Switzerland is half of our northern areas in size and having no match of the natural beauty with our landscape but even then it earns $80 billion from tourism, while our total export is of $25 billion,” he told a gathering of Tiger Force volunteers arranged in Naran, the commercial hub of Kaghan valley.

The prime minister who spoke hardly for 11 minutes under the tight security measures in and around the tourist resort remained entirely focused on the tourism potential. “I have visited Switzerland and Austria and would never compare their beauty with our heavenly lands, which are more beautiful and exotic in nature but I would admire there is cleanliness and true enforcement of laws, as nobody could break the bylaws for their personal gains,” he said.

He also said the government should pay due attention to all the tourist spots in the country for prosperity and development of the country. “Insha’Allah, we will earn such a big money and people could get employment because of tourism and would not go out of these areas for jobs,” said Imran Khan.

He advised local lawmakers of national and provincial assemblies of his party to protect the land and trees, as they could enjoy the maximum benefits ultimately when it would progress because of tourism.

The prime minister said when he had come here (Kaghan valley) but saw deforestation from the helicopter, but widely stretched areas were brought again under the tree plantation during the recent plantation campaign.

“The young people sitting in front of us are our future and we have to leave such a Pakistan behind for them so that the coming generations admire our efforts for preserving the nature and soothing the environment,” said the prime minister.

Pointing to youth, he said their predecessors did not do justice to Pakistan, as they scattered trees and jungles and left it as they got it but he was pleased that the divisional administration was adopting all possible measures for its protection.

“I have visited various parts of the world but couldn’t witness such a beauty, which has been bestowed by Allah on this Kaghan valley,” said Imran Khan. He directed the administration to adopt tough measure to hire locals as guards for protection of forests and cleanliness in the Kaghan valley.

“Trout fish is rapidly becoming an endangered species and the administration should take measures for its preservation,” he said. Imran Khan, during the day-long visit, also launched emergency response services for tourists, planted trees on the Kunhar River banks, released trout fish into the river, launched the distribution of 550,000 biodegradable bags and distributed motorbikes among community river rangers.

Meanwhile, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government has finalised drastic measures to put the Kaghan valley on the international tourism arena. "Our government is taking measures to preserve the ecology, flora and fauna in the Kaghan valley to attract the foreign tourists," the chief minister told the local lawmakers and his party's figures in Naran.

He said the government wanted to address the issues faced by the tourists and local business community. "If the business community joins hands with the government for the promotion of tourism and strictly follows the rules set by the government, I think the tourism activities in the valley might enhance," he said.

Riaz Mehsud, the commissioner Hazara, while briefing the prime minister, governor and chief minister, said the government wanted to plant more saplings in the Kaghan valley. "In order to ensure the safety of tourists the river rafting bylaws for boats and sailors have been finalised and being enforced with an immediate effect," he said.

Meanwhile, Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday said he wanted the citizens of former tribal districts to be fully integrated into the national mainstream and that the development of the former tribal districts was his top priority.

He said this during a meeting with MNAs Gul Dad Khan, Gul Zafar Khan, Sajid Khan, Muhammad Iqbal Khan, Malik Fakhar Zaman Khan and Jawad Hussain from former tribal districts, who called on him.

Separately, MNAs Rahat Amanullah Bhatti, Malik Karamat Ali and Sardar Talib Hussain Nakai, Sami Bukhari, Sobia Kamal, Rubina Jamil, Fauzia Bahram, Rukhsana Naveed, Tashfeen Sardar, Wajiha Akram, Saima Nadeem and Dr. Zal Huma met Premier Imran.

Meanwhile, PM Imran Khan met Federal Minister for Housing Chaudhry Tariq Bashir Cheema. Pakistan's nominated Ambassador to the Netherlands Seljuk Mustansir Tarar also called on Prime Minister Imran Khan

Imran congratulated Ambassador Seljuk Tarar on his nomination as Ambassador to the Netherlands. APP adds: Prime Minister Imran Khan Monday said now the people would witness improvement and reforms in all sectors of life, as they had left difficult times behind.

Addressing a gathering of parliamentarians belonging to Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and its allies, the prime minister said one always faced resistance and difficulties when trying to bring changes or reforms.

“The people and mafias getting benefits from the corrupt system will resist and they will create hurdles to protect their privileges they are getting from such system,” he said.

He said the government faced resistance while introducing reforms in different sectors. The prime minister referred to the functioning of the government-run hospitals and said they had been trying for reforms in their management system during the last three years, but were still facing resistance.

He observed that on the other hand, in the private hospitals, there was a system of reward and punishment. The prime minister also stressed upon revamping of standards of medical institutes. He said Pakistan has been among few countries of the world which saw unprecedented growth rate of 4 per cent during the COVID-19 pandemic.