Buddhist, Sikh, Hindu sacred sites being preserved in Pakistan
By Shiraz Afzal - Pakistan Times Staff Correspondent

RAWALPINDI: Pakistan has taken all necessary steps to preserve the Buddist, Sikh, Hindu and other religious sites and made them comfortable for the devotees who throng here from across the world.

This was stated by the Federal Minister for Tourism Dr. G.G. Jamal, while speaking at the concluding ceremony of the Gandhara week here on Saturday.

The Gandhara week was organised by the Ministry of Tourism for the first time and the ceremony was also attended by the Federal Secretary Tourism, Salim Gul Shaikh.

The Minister said that Government of Pakistan would extend maximum support to all projects which present the real face of Pakistan to the world.

“We are a much misunderstood country”, he remarked adding that Islam stands for peace. Islam preaches for the respect for the humanity and the human beings.

Swat Valley

Dr. G.G. Jamal said that the government would improve the roads, hotels and motels, not only in the Swat Valley, Northern areas but in other areas for the promotion of the tourism.

Pakistan is the citadel of some of world’s best known civilisations, including Gandhara and Indus Valley civilisations. The Ministry of tourism also intends to organise an Indus Valley week during November/December 2005, the Minister said.

Our aim is to develop Gandhara sites and Museums, said the Minister.

As many as 122 delegates from Japan, China, Sri Lanka, Malaysia, Thailand, Europe and United States attended the celebrations.

Earlier the foreign delegates in their brief speeches thanked the Ministry of Tourism for making excellent arrangements during the week.●