[c]ANilofar for discouraging privatisation of PTDC assets.

Senate Standing Committee on Tourism Chairperson, Nilofar Bakhtiar, on Monday said that privatisation of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation's (PTDC) assets needs to be discouraged and they need to be retained by the federal government.

Nilofar made these comments while chairing a meeting of the committee, held at a local hotel. Nilofar said that due to its corporate status and being the country's flag-bearer at international forums/seminars/exhibitions, the senate standing committee recommended PTDC's retention with the federal government. Senator Dr Abdul Khaliq Pirzada, Senator Sabina Rauf, Senator Farah Aqil and Senator Gulshan Saeed were also present in the meeting. Nilofar advised the PTDC to regularise the services of its contractual and daily wage employees, especially those in the seasonal and remote areas, and suggested launching special packages in the holy month of Ramazan.

She said that the PTDC should take up the matter with the relevant authorities to ease visa restrictions for Sikh yatris from India and other countries. Nilofar directed the PTDC to review licence agreements of its motels and restaurants that were leased out to private sector. Efforts should be made to vacate the encroached lands/properties of the PTDC and the matter of Gaddani Beach may be taken up with the Senate Standing Committee on Shipping, she said. PTDC Managing Director, Sareer Mohammad Khan, briefed the committee regarding different functions, objectives, performance and future plans of the corporation.

He said the PTDC was setting up tourist facilitation centers in all provincial capitals, including Gilgit-Baltistan, AJK and Islamabad, with latest facilities for tourists that included fax, email /internet, conference hall, audio and visual system. He informed the committee that the PTDC had also planned to set up tourist facilities along the coastline of Balochistan.

General Manager (Hotels/Motels) Iftikhar Satti, apprised the committee that the main objective of the PTDC was to promote and project a soft image of Pakistan through publications, advertisements and participation in tourism events, along with development of tourist infrastructure in those areas of the country where the private sector was shy to invest. Ministry of Tourism's Economic Analyst, Zafarullah Siddiqui, and general managers from the PTDC's planning and development, finance, accounts and other vital areas also attended the meeting.

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