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Friday, October 4, 2024

Pakistan’s image building & tourism go hand in hand

News Desk |

Ever since the tragic events of September 11, 2001, Pakistan gets the limelight in international media for all the wrong reasons. It has been depicted as a land ravaged by terrorism and extremist violence. The greater tragedy was that slanted reporting changed the very nature of the natural scenery in the eyes of the world.

Unfortunately, Pakistan was always showed in the outside world as a country of barren deserts and rocky cliffs. In film and cinema, as international crews didn’t come to Pakistan they used India or other countries to fill in the background. That was why Islamabad was seen as a “concrete monstrosity” in the famed American TV series Homeland. Pakistan’s cinema industry due to its small stature was unable to rectify this damage.

Federal Minister also pointed out that Tourism Police is being established to give security to the tourists that would help in promoting tourism and winning the confidence of the tourists.

A way to counter this senseless onslaught is to promote the industry of tourism. Instead of making the global audience dependent on a few channels, the audience is itself invited to experience firsthand the local beauty and culture. The travelers then themselves become the vessel through which a better and soft image of the country can be transmitted.

It is in this context that the promotion of tourism is highly necessary for Pakistan; individuals and organizations must work alongside the government. It is heartening to note that the National Bank of Pakistan is playing its role in helping build the image of Pakistan through tourism.

Federal Minister for Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit Baltistan Ali Amin Gandapur lauded the role of NBP in elevating image and tourism of Pakistan. He said that the NBP’s efforts are part of the government’s strategy to promote positive image and tourism of Pakistan.

Read more: NBP & Green Pakistan: A march towards a cleaner future

He stated this on Wednesday as Chief Guest at the signing ceremony of a MoU between the National Bank of Pakistan and Trek Pakistan to elevate the image of Pakistan within the country and at international level. Karim Akram Khan, Group Head NBP Logistics, Adnan Afaq, Co-Creator of Pakistan Trek and others participated in this MoU signing ceremony that was arranged at the new regional office of NBP in Islamabad.

Federal Minister also pointed out that Tourism Police is being established to give security to the tourists that would help in promoting tourism and winning the confidence of the tourists. He said that initially the Tourism Police is being started from Gilgit-Baltistan and later on it will be expanded to other parts of the country that have an enormous potential of growth in tourism.

Route16, under the banner of Pakistan Trek, is inviting students from world’s top universities to visit Pakistan to see the true culture, beauty here with the aim to change the narrative of the country.

He said that the government would develop roads in tourists’ hot-spots in the country to attract more and more tourists. He pointed out that this year the number of tourists to KP and Gilgit Baltistan will increase to two million because of initiatives being taken by the government to promote tourism in the country. He also urged the NBP to offer financial assistance to people in GB who are engaged in the promotion of tourism to enable them to earn money, promote tourism and economic activity as well.

The Group Head of Logistics of NBP Karim Akram Khan said that the topmost priority of the President of National Bank of Pakistan Mr. Tariq Jamali is to promote the image of Pakistan in the country and abroad. He said that NBP is the largest public sector bank in Pakistan and it is geared to support the government’s initiatives to encourage in-ward tourism into the country. With its expansive outreach across the length of Pakistan and a management that is personally motivated to build a positive image of the country, National Bank is well positioned to provide support to such initiatives.

Meanwhile, Adnan Afaq, Co-Creator of the Pakistan Trek said that NBP and Route16 have signed a Memorandum of Understanding today to improve the global image of the country. Route16, under the banner of Pakistan Trek, is inviting students from world’s top universities to visit Pakistan to see the true culture, beauty here with the aim to change the narrative of the country.

Read more: Green Initiative: Banking sector helps fight climate change in Gwadar

He pointed out that Pakistan Trek has been able to provide an insider’s view to more than 100 students over the last three years. Through short-term visits to Pakistan, current and emerging thought leaders are exposed to a variety of experiences firsthand and provided the opportunity to cultivate last relationships with their Pakistani counterparts. Pakistan Trek allows the students to build an understanding of the geopolitical nature of the country and its trials and tribulations.