ISLAMABAD: Minister for Planning, Development & Reforms Ahsan Iqbal on Saturday said the government plans to establish tourism and sports authorities for promotion of games and tourism, in order to project rising Pakistan’s beautiful culture worldwide. Addressing the three-day Islamabad Spring Festival, the minister said these authorities would mainly focus on attracting foreign tourists by promoting cultures of the provinces and their traditional foods. He informed that the first-ever Islamabad Spring Festival was organised this year and such events would be organised annually in an improved manner to project the city as the campaign was underway to attract tourists from across the world. The minister said that Islamabad was among the most beautiful cities of the world, which was purposefully built as a capital city and has the serene landscape and good atmosphere, adding the festival would surely provide a proper tourism facility to citizens. Ahsan Iqbal said the Islamabad Spring Festival would definitely ensure the best tourism facilities and opportunities to citizens, adding cultures of the provinces would be highlighted, which would eventually help in promoting soft image of the country. He informed that sports competitions, cycling races and food festivals would be organised, whereas military bands of the Pakistan Air Force, Pakistan Navy and Islamabad Police would perform and entertain the participants. During the second day, tree plantation campaign at Margalla Hills will be launched in order to make these hills greener, he said and called upon the youth of the city to come forward and become part of the campaign to keep their city clean and green. He informed that the government had initiated several developmental projects worth billions of rupees in the federal capital for the development and beautification of the city, adding it has allocated Rs 2.3 billion for the establishment of water treatment plant for purification of Rawal Lake and Korang River to provide clean water supply for the residents of twin cities. Iqbal said that work on rapid mass transit system has been initiated in order to provide best transportation facilities to the people, adding work on feeder bus service would also be launched shortly. In order to provide pure, clean and complete hygienic food to the residents of Islamabad, a bill for establishment of authority had been finalised and it would be soon presented in the parliament for approval. A special horticulture wing would also be established for the beautification of roads and markets, he added. Replying to a question, the minister said that the government strongly believed in the freedom of expression and it condemned any attempt to suppress the freedom of expression and culture of intolerance and violence. The minister said freedom of expression was a prerequisite for free and fair elections and smooth transition of powers to third respective elected government. To another question, the minister said that respect of law was an obligation for each and every one living in the country, adding no one would be allowed to take law into his/her hands. He said that the Chinese people, working at different developmental projects under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) were the guestS of the country and their safety and security was the top priority of the government and the people. Some elements could not digest this multi-billion dollar developmental project, which would change the fate of the whole region, he remarked. The minister called upon the media to play its role to foil such attempts, which were launched from time to time, to disturb the bilateral relations and to create hindrances in developmental projects under CPEC. Iqbal also stressed upon religio-political parties to promote soft image of the country in order to defeat the narratives of anti-Pakistan forces. Published in Daily Times, April 8th 2018.