Daily Times

QUETTA – The Balochistan provincial assembly passed a resolution on Monday declaring Ziarat a tourist resort and vowing to refurbish the hill station where Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah had spent last days of his life.

According to a press release, the mover of the resolution, Balochistan Member Provincial Assembly Spozma Achakzai, said that Ziarat already enjoyed a distinct position among tourist destinations of the country. She said that the hill station should be declared a tourist zone so that the province could benefit from the revenue generated from the resort.

In the wake of the resolution, Balochistan Chief Minister Sanaullah Zehri said that as per announcements made on this year’s Pakistan Day on March 23, the beautification and development of Ziarat was already part of government projects.

He said that the Jinnah residency, once burnt by anti-state elements for showing hatred against Pakistan, stood renovated and had been a great attraction for visitors, both in summer and during snowfall.

He said that Prime Minister Muhammad Nawaz Sharif had announced Rs1 billion for Ziarat’s beautification which had been released, adding that the amount would be spent on the development the place.

He said that the private sector should play its role too, urging investors to set up good rest houses and hotels so that tourists could come to the site like they visited Murree.

On the occasion, the provincial government Information Minister Abdul Rahim Ziaratwal said that the natural beauty of Ziarat was in danger. He said that due to absence of piped gas, people were chopping trees for fuel and heating, adding that barren landscape would hold no attraction for tourists.

The minister further said that elimination of trees would change the weather and topography of the area. “Over 5,000 year old Juniper Forest, declared a world heritage site by UNESCO, is being cut down to cook food,” he said.

He said that temperatures plunged to 18 degrees below zero during winter in Ziarat, and in absence of gas, people had no option but to chop trees for heating and cooking.

Dr Shama Ishaq, Syed Liaqat Agha, Nasarullah Zehray, Abdul Rehman Kehtran, Shahida Rauf and William Barkat also spoke in favour of the resolution and stressed upon the need for improving and renovating government rest houses in Ziarat and restoration of Ziarat Development Authority.