CM Gandapur announces regularisation of tourism police

The fourth meeting of the Board of Directors of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority was held on Tuesday at the Chief Minister’s Secretariat under the chairmanship of Chief Minister Ali Amin Khan Gandapur.Several important decisions were made after deliberation on various agenda items. Provincial cabinet members, including Zahid Chun Zeb, Brigadier (Retd) Musaddiq Abbasi and Additional Chief Secretary Planning and Development Ikramullah Khan, along with other board members, attended the meeting.Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur announced the regularization of Tourism Police personnel and approved the increase in their monthly salary from Rs 36,000 to Rs 45,000.To further strengthen the Tourism Police, the board decided to provide additional heavy bikes and advanced communication gadgets. The chief minister also directed the tourism department to take steps to identify new tourist destinations in the province.He instructed that at least four new tourism sites and a project be reflected in the upcoming ADP for their development.Highlighting the growing number of tourists, he noted that 15 million domestic and international tourists visited Khyber Pakhtunkhwa during the last season, and emphasized the need to explore and develop new tourist spots. Gandapur issued directives to amend and publicize the master plan for the Thandiani Integrated Tourism Zone and emphasized the need for simultaneous construction of access roads for all integrated tourism zones.He reiterated that tourism remains one of the province’s priority sectors, offering significant potential for job creation and investment. The board approved the establishment of finance and HR committees under the Board of Directors.Additionally, it directed the formation of outsourcing, investment, and culture committees to enhance the operational efficiency of the tourism sector.The Chief Minister concluded by underlining the immense opportunities in the tourism sector and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to promoting the province as a premier destination for both domestic and international travelers.