PESHAWAR: The NWFP government has declared tourism an industry and decided to develop a master plan for its promotion.NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Khan Hoti issued directives to this effect during his last week visit to Hazara division, Information Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain told a press conference here on Saturday.
The chief minister along with some cabinet members and officials visited different parts of the hilly Hazara region and inspected ongoing uplift projects and also approved some new schemes for the tourism sector, he said.

The Frontier province had immense potential for tourism, but its present utilisation was less than five per cent, therefore, the provincial government had decided to formulate a master plan for its promotion, the minister added.

The chief minister had declared tourism an industry and announced holding Kaghan festival on the pattern of Shandur festival on yearly basis from next summer season. Similarly, the chief minister also issued directives for installation of a chair lift from Naran to Saiful Maluk Lake on public private partnership basis.

Moreover, the chief minister also directed reviving the old access road to the Saiful Maluk Lake besides constructing a parking lot in the area, the minister said and added that instructions were also issued for keeping it clean from pollution. Similarly, he also sanctioned funds for the repair of Saiful Maluk road besides construction of 24 kilometres different roads in the area.

The chief minister also ordered construction of a 2-megawatt hydel power station in the area and advised the quarters concerned for preparing feasibility study for the same, Mr Hussain added.

Courtesy: Dawn, Pakistan