Punjab Govt.dissolves PTDC board of governors

Lahore: Punjab government  has  dissolved  the 12-member Board of Governors of Tourism Development Corporation of the Punjab to make room for the experts of domestic tourism who have a passion to enhance charm in archaeological sites of Punjab and would attract the new generation towards tourism.

This was disclosed by the Minister for Education and Tourism Punjab Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan during his presidential address in a seminar on the topic of “Development of Tourism in Pakistan-Status and Prospects” here today held under the auspices of Hameed Nizami Press Institute of Pakistan. Secretary Archaeology Punjab Oria Maqbool Jaan, Editor The Nation, Lahore Saleem Bukhari, columnist Fazal Hussain Awan and General Manager TDCP Muhammad Tanveer Jabbar also presented their deliberations in the seminar.

Rana Mashhood Ahmad Khan said that annual goals have been determined for the officers of TDCP. The officers failing in achieving these goals will be taken to task as tourism has such a potential in Pakistan as well as in the province of Punjab that Pakistan can sustain all its governmental expenditure only from Tourism if the relevant corporations would focus on good deliverance. The Minister hinted the plan of a mega project to be started by the federal government within next three months in Lahore under the special directives of the Prime Minister of Pakistan Mian Nawaz Sharif. Under this pilot project, the water front of Lahore city will be developed into a tourist resort, he added.

The Minister also informed the audience that the Provincial Tourism Department will develop Shahi Qila of Lahore into a Living Monument for which the building of Attique Stadium and the road lying between Minar-e-Pakistan and Badshahi Masjid will be abolished. This step will be taken to create the original atmosphere of Mughal Dynasty when the “Chobdars” use to wear Khilat-e-Fakhra. A mocked Shahi Court Room will also be staged in the Shahi Qila on daily basis and our great leaders of Pakistan Movement will also visit Minar-e-Pakistan on well- decorated buggies. The actors performing this role will closely resemble the original leaders as far as their costume is concerned. In this way, people will have a chance to visualize the living atmosphere which prevailed from 1940 to 1947, the day when Pakistan came into existence.