KP Government Strengthening Local Economy through Promoting Tourism: Malik Adeel Iqbal

Special Assistant to Chief Minister Khyber Pukhtoonkhwa on Tourism, Culture, Archaeology and Museums Malik Adeel Iqbal has said that Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Government is not only promoting tourism but is also taking practical steps to economically empower local communities. Maizban Tourism Programme is a key initiative aimed at achieving this vision.
He expressed these views while addressing cheque distribution ceremony in Peshawar where interest-free loans were provided to eligible beneficiaries under Maizban Tourism Programme. The event was attended by Director General Culture and Tourism Authority Shahid Khan, representatives of Bank of Khyber, relevant officials and programme beneficiaries.
On the occasion, Malik Adeel Iqbal distributed interest-free loan cheques among eligible men and women. He said that Maizban Tourism Programme represents a significant step towards empowering local communities particularly youth and women by enabling them to become self-reliant and creating dignified employment opportunities.
He said that programme reflects the tourism vision of former Prime Minister Imran Khan and directives of Chief Minister of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa with objective of ensuring that the benefits of tourism directly reach local communities.
Malik Adeel Iqbal further said that provincial government is placing special emphasis on promotingbcommunity-based tourism so that tourism activities can increase local incomes, create new business opportunities and contribute to sustainable economic growth. He added that government’s foremost priority is to generate employment opportunities for local people and enable them to earn a respectable livelihood within their own communities.
Special Assistant further stated that, under the Maizban Tourism Programme, interest-free loan cheques worth more than Rs100 million have so far been distributed among 109 eligible beneficiaries. The programme is benefiting deserving men and women in Swat, Abbottabad, Mansehra, Chitral and Dir, where local residents will be able to convert their homes into homestays and provide quality accommodation facilitie to tourists.
He further added that government objective is not only to promote tourism but also to transform the sector into an effective driver of local economic development, employment generation, and poverty reduction. He reaffirmed the government’s commitment to expanding the scope of such initiatives in the future so that a greater number of people can benefit from them.