ISLAMABAD: Minister of State, Chairman for Prime Minister Task Force on Gandhara Tourism Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani Saturday unveiled that three-day first ever international conference on tourism would be held from July 11 to 13 here to attract tourists from across the world to promote tourism in the country.

Addressing the participants at the Pakistan National Council of Arts (PNCA), the minister said international conference would not only project the tourism but also generate revenue as well. He said, “We would welcome and highly appreciate the foreign dignitaries and facilitate them in every respect, including safety, security, visas, transportation, and accommodation in Pakistan.” The conference would pave the ways to promote the soft image of the country at international level, the chairman added.

He said it was his vision to bring 0.5 million international tourists from worldwide to generate billion of rupees, adding that the incumbent government was seriously focusing on tourism’s promotion in the country.

He said Pakistan was rich with religious and cultural tourism and was home to a multitude of heritage sites, monuments and historic buildings, which demonstrated the diverse layers of history of the region. Visualizing the immense potential in tourism around Gandhara civilization, the Prime Minister Task Force was making all-out efforts to promote Gandhara tourism in the country, he maintained.

The chairman said that religious sites of Hinduism and Buddhism were existing in the federal capital and other parts of the country. He stressed the need to develop positive image of the country internationally as Pakistan is a peaceful and peace-loving country.

The minister said, “I have written columns in national newspapers in English, Urdu and Sindhi, besides taking part in talk shows on national and foreign media to inform the local and foreign dignitaries about rich potential of tourism in the country.”

He said the Prime Minister Task Force had arranged a series of visits to various cultural and historical sites, including Shah Allah Ditta, Takht-i-Bahi, and Swat on every Wednesday within a month to promote sacred sites and monuments built during the Gandhara era.

In the end, Taxila odyssey cultural show, Kelash dance, Leva performance, mantra performance and folk performance by Jhangir Sagar had entertained the participants.