Jhelum Valley, (Parliament Times) : Prime Minister Azad Jammu and Kashmir Sardar Tanveer Ilyas along with Education Minister Diwan Ali Khan Chughtai and former Assembly candidate Zeeshan Haider formally inaugurated the Jhelum Valley Tourism Festival here on Sunday.
Addressing the inaugural function, Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan said that Azad Kashmir has vast potential for tourism. Reiterating his government’s commitment to capitalize the state’s untapped potential, he said that promotion of the tourism sector was one of the top priorities of the PTI government.
Referring to the Jhelum valley’s scenic beauty, the PM said promotion of tourism in the valley would provide ample business and employment opportunities.
Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan congratulated Zeeshan Haider for organizing the grand Festival. “Zeeshan Haider is a capable and talented young man”, the PM said . The Prime Minister on the occasion announced to provide funds of Rs. 1 crore for the festival.
The Government, he said, would take advantage of the area’s huge tourism potential, and utilize all its resources to turn Jhelum Valley into a tourist hub. “The PTI government’s sole agenda is to raise the living standards of the people of Azad Kashmir”, the PM maintained.
Pertinently, the 15-day festival is scheduled to begin in mid July on the sidelines of Eid al-Adha festival. Dozens of adventure sports, including water rafting and mountaineering, will be part of this grand festival.
The event, which is likely to attract over 50,000 tourists, will provide employment opportunities to thousands of people in the area, where more than 100 tourist destinations have been delineated.
Addressing the function, Education Minister Diwan Ali Khan Chughtai said that there are immense opportunities for promotion of tourism in Jhelum Valley. “Tourism and health resorts will be set up in Chakar, Lepa, Khalana, Chakoti, Chak Hama”, he said.
Prime Minister Sardar Tanveer Ilyas Khan, he said, has embarked on a journey of development and prosperity of the liberated territory in line with Imran Khan’s vision. In her address Parliamentary Secretary Prof. Taqdees Gilani said that the government was taking steps on priority basis to capitalize the potential of tourism in Azad Kashmir.
Commissioner Muzaffarabad Division Masood-ur-Rehman, DG Tourism Rashid Hanif, Zain Gilani Advocate and others also addressed the inaugural function.
