Government to develop Buddhist trail to promote religious tourism in Pakistan
In a bid to attract international tourists, Government of Pakistan is planning to develop Buddhist trail to promote religious tourism.
To attract religious tourism in Pakistan and strengthen the said sector in the country, the government is planning to develop a Buddhist trail. The trail will be developed by exploring the religious sites in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to attract religious tourists, particularly the followers of Buddhism across the world.
Sayed Zulfikar Abbas Bukhari, Chairman of Pakistan Tourism Development Cooperation (PTDC) shard the details while talking to APP. The announcement was made at the occasion of Vesak Day (Buddha’s birthday) ceremony at Dharmarajika Stupa.
Zulfi said that trail is the part of government’s ambitious vision to revive religious tourism in the country. The trail would start from Swabi and Swat, and culminate at Taxila, that has numerous Buddhist sites.
Zulfi added that sacred places of other religions, including Sikhism and Hinduism, are scattered all over Pakistan and PTDC is committed to revive them and provide facilities in a bid to attract international tourists to Pakistan.
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Zulfi said that by such initiatives, we will be able to actualize Prime Minister Imran Khan’s vision to revive tourism and refurbish this particular sector. By showcasing non-Islamic heritage to the world, not only will we be able to present a more tolerant image of Pakistan but also it will broaden our tourist base.
It will project a soft pluralistic image of Pakistan internationally, he said.
Speaking about the event, PTDC chairman said despite the harshness of weather, he reached to attend to show the government’s seriousness towards the welfare of the minorities.
Pakistan’s promising future in tourism:
Speaking about the potential of the country’s tourism industry, Zulfi said Pakistan has cultural and religious heritage, hence a promising future. Pakistan also has a rich historical heritage possessing the relics of the famous civilization of Gandhara and Indus.
According to the official sources of Directorate General Archaeology Punjab, revealed that the Gandhara civilization entered in this region some 2000 years ago and then spread along the valleys of Swat, Dir, Peshawar, Buner, Bajaur, Takht-e-Bahi and Taxila.
They also added that an ‘intriguing record of Gandhara civilization was discovered by the British excavators in the 20th century who found ruins and relics of this civilization in huge quantity.’ The sources show that Buddhism travelled to Far East Asia from this region.
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