Pakistan is home to multiple tourist destinations which are visited by both local and international tourists. Over the years, the Government of Pakistan has taken multiple steps to improve the tourism sector by developing roads and infrastructure and providing basic and modern facilities. While there are plenty of places to visit in the north, Murree can rightfully be called the queen of hill stations in Pakistan which is visited by tourists throughout the year. In order to better facilitate the tourists, Murree Tourism Police has been launched with the purpose of addressing issues faced by tourists and providing assistance in different situations.
More About Murree Tourism Police
The tourism police in Murree was launched on the instructions of the Inspector General of Police (IGP) Punjab. This particular force is assigned with the responsibilities that directly concern tourists visiting Murree.
The force was launched by Regional Police Officer (RPO) Rawalpindi Ashfaq Ahmad Khan and City Police Officer (CPO) Rawalpindi Omar Saeed Malik. The ceremony was also attended by officers of police and local administration, bar officials, civil society and media personnel.
Throughout the year, Murree is filled with a huge number of tourists because of its scenic drive of 90 to 120 minutes from the twin cities. The weather throughout the summers remains pleasant and tourists visiting the hill station in winters can be in for a treat because it occasionally witnesses snowfall as well. Murree Tourism Police will be facilitating and protecting tourists and assisting them during harsh winter conditions and heavy snowfall which leads to traffic jams and multiple other problems for tourists.
Squad Of Tourism Police In Murree
The tourism police in Murree has been launched with a force of 150 personnel initially which includes officers as well. The force has a special tourist van and three specially prepared vehicles which are equipped with the latest medical technology and 25 motorcycles. Although Murree has been developed better than other hill stations in the country, there are different hills that are frequently trekked by tourists and for their protection and facilitation, a horse riding squad has also been added to the force.
The force has been initially deployed specifically in the areas where the inflow of tourists is more, famous points for tourists in Murree, traffic jams where tourists could be expected and places where snowfall creates difficulties for the visitors.
The initiative is expected to bridge the gap between people and the police and make the hill station better for tourism. Moreover, the tourism police also have a toll-free helpline – 1757 – where locals and tourists can call in cases of emergency.
Future Plans For Tourism Force
The launch of Murree Tourism Police is a pilot project and after the evaluation of its progress and success, the initiative is expected to be expanded to other tourist sites in Punjab such as Katas Raj, Nankana Sahib and Fort Monroe. In the next phase of tourism police, the force will be stationed in Kotli Sattian to perform their duties and assist tourists there.
Moreover, an awareness campaign will be launched for tourists to advise them on how they can seek the help of tourism police and in which cases.
For those of you who have been to Murree and seen the tourism police working, let us know at blog@zameen.com about your experience and how this is helping the tourism sector in the hill station. If you want to read more about different hill stations in Pakistan, head over to Zameen Blog now.
