Peshawar: The Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister (CM) Mahmood Khan has directed authorities concerned to formulate tourism by-laws, a news source reported. These regulations are aimed at improving tourism in Hazara, Malakand, and other scenic spots in the province. The newly merged tribal districts will also fall under this legal framework.
The CM was addressing the third meeting of the Task Force of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Tourism at the CM Secretariat.
The meeting’s participants agreed on the formation of a tourism police. The officials present suggested that it could be a unit or a separate formation that will involve youth as volunteers. The latter will follow a billion tree tsunami model or a boy scouts model used during the Hajj season.
Discussing the newly merged tribal districts, the CM asked to identify new tourism spots in these areas. Additionally, he directed to rehabilitate the rail track from Peshawar to Torkham, and speed up work on the Peshawar circular railway track. He also agreed to establish Rescue 1122 and healthcare facilities in the province’s tourist spots.
The CM advised against illegal constructions in the Kumrat Valley in Upper Dir district. He ordered similarly for other tourism spots. He said that all buildings should follow the Building Codes.
The meeting also discussed tourism policing, and construction of small dams along tourism lines. The CM has asked the tourism and forest departments to collaborate, and finalise the notification and de-notification of areas that could be cleared by the provincial cabinet.
