ISLAMABAD: Tourism in Pakistan, the country having a treasure of scenic beauty all over, was put on verge of disaster owing to lack of interest on the part of the government and non induction of chairman Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC).
Sources told Daily Times that tourism sector has been annihilated due to lack of interest and ill conceived strategy of government institutions. The Ministry of Tourism was devolved to the provinces following the implementation of 18th Constitutional Amendment but no clear policy was devised in this regard. The state of affairs led to create divergences among the provinces on the issue of distribution of the assets.
The recruitment of employees on political basis, salaries of regular employees, pension, privileges and source of income emerged as the major differences which sparked a cold war between the federation and provinces. This way the institutions responsible for promoting and upgrading tourism withdrew from doing something in this connection after having been disappointed.
Sources said that the cold war has further been accelerated after PML-N led government has come to power. Federation and PTDC are keen to run the tourism department from Islamabad while the provincial governments are terming the interference from federation unconstitutional. The employees have started showing lack of interest in performing the duty and non disbursement of salary to the employees since the last 16 months is stated to be the main reason behind it.
The provinces are of the view that the unpaid salaries are related to the pre 18thconstitutional amendment implementation period while the employees demand these salaries be paid to them at every cost.
The charges of appointing over 700 employees by taking bribe by former PTDC Chairman Mir Shahjahan Khaitran during previous PPP led government have been proved and Mir Khaitran along with his aides is behind the bars in Adiala jail at present.
Sources said the additional burden of these 700 employees has also been shifted to the department and the present government has refused to accept it through an order. Therefore, 700 employees are wavering between hope and despair about their future. Neither the federation nor the provinces are ready to accept them.
PTDC spokesman Mukhtar Ali Rana while talking to Daily Times said that former MD PTDC Chaudhry Kabir Ahmad Khan had left the department after completing his 2 years tenure of contract. Information Minister Senator Pervez Rashid and Secretary Cabinet Nadim Hassan Asif are going to hold meeting of the board soon. Decision for appointment of new MD will be taken in this meeting.
To a question about payment of salaries to the employees he said salaries are being paid regularly to the employees since July and the unpaid 16 months salaries are also being paid gradually in small amount.