The Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa chaired a meeting on Sunday to review the progress on the initiatives taken by his government to boost up tourism activities in the province and ordered the concerned authorities to expedite the work on various steps taken by the government for the promotion of tourism in the province. He directed the concerned quarters to speed up the work on the construction of access road projects to the Integrated Tourism Zones Establishment In KPK's Hazara, Malakand, and the Southern District. He also ordered the authorities to take stern action against illegal construction activities alongside the tourism areas.
The Chief Minister took serious notice of the delayed work on access roads projects especially in Hazara and constituted a committee to look into the matter and report to the cabinet within a month. The meeting was also informed that Like Galyat Development Authority, work on the formation of Kumrat Development Authority, Kalam Development Authority, and Kalash Development Authority is in progress. The meeting was attended by Secretary Tourism Abid Majeed, Member Provincial Assembly Mian Sharafat Ali, Secretary Communications and Works, Secretary Local Government, and some other notables.
The CM also ordered the concerned authorities to put up a comprehensive report about the number of guest houses, Tourist Spots In KPK, and the measures taken by the relevant department to take over the guest houses and these spots. He also directed the finance department to urgently release the required funds in this regard. The CM took serious notice of the reports pertaining to the illegal constructions made by the land mafia in the areas of tourism activities and directed the relevant departments to remove all illegal constructions and within a very short span of time.
The incumbent Administration of the province has been very keen to promote tourism activities in the province under the visionary leadership of Prime Minister Imran Khan. The government has paid special heed to the tourism sector that remained neglected in the past. The government believes that promoting tourism in the country will not only provide the masses with a reasonable platform for recreation and entertainment but also play a vital role in government income by attracting tourists from the length and breadth of the country as well as from abroad besides creating a number of jobs. The government is on the way to developing tourism as an industry. The establishment of Integrated Tourism Zones, Setting up Construction of access roads Malakand and Hazara Divisions and of Tourism Facilitation Centres and construction of rest areas are some of the major steps of the provincial government.