LAHORE: The Department of Human Rights and Minority Affairs (HR&MA), in collaboration with the World Bank, organized an exercise for enhancing economic growth through the promotion of tourism in Punjab, aligned with the department’s five-year strategic plan.
Provincial Minister for Minority Affairs Ramesh Singh Arora emphasized the critical role of tourism in economic development during his address to the meeting.
Minister Arora expressed hope that the advisory meeting would yield fruitful results given the presence of key representatives from Punjab’s major departments. He also underscored Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s desire for a well-defined five-year strategic plan to establish a clear roadmap.
In his address, Secretary of Human Rights, Ali Bahadur Qazi, emphasized the significance of the visioning exercise, aiming to gather valuable insights from various representatives of Punjab’s key institutions to formulate a cohesive strategy.
Syed Sajjad Imran, Lead Consultant for Strategic Planning, informed the participants that the collaboration with the World Bank underscores a commitment to globally recognizing Punjab’s tourism potential and leveraging this sector for sustainable economic development. The outcomes of this exercise will assist in creating actionable plans that align with the broader goals of the HR&MA.
Additional Secretary of Human Rights, Rizwana Naveed, briefed the attendees about the department’s services for religious minorities and future strategies. The meeting included a SWOT analysis of the strategic plan in various groups, and feedback was solicited from all participants.
The advisory meeting also included the participation of Additional Secretary Rizwana Naveed, DS Minorities, representatives from the Punjab Economic Growth Project (PTEG) such as Waqas Malik, Project Director PTEG, Director of Human Rights Muhammad Yousaf, and Research Officer Shoaib Zafar, representatives from Social Welfare, Law, School Education, Higher Education, government officials, tourism experts, private sector representatives, and members of civil society.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024