'Tourism potential of Islamabad being exploited'

Capital Development Authority Chairman Kamran Lashari on Thursday said that Islamabad bears huge tourism potential which was rapidly being explored.
Speaking in a PTV programme, he said a number of projects in that regard were likely to begin in near future of which the development of resort around Rawal Lake and completion of F-9 park were major activities.
He said the development plan of F-9 park which was expanded over an area of 750 acres was being designed by prominent designer Nayyar Ali Dada while a Turkish designers would also be involved in the endeavour.
He hoped the design would be finalised within a period of one month after which the work on PC-1 would start.
To develop a tourism resort around Rawal Lake, two companies had been short-listed and final selection in that regard would be made within few weeks.
One of those companies belonged to Malaysia while the other to United Kingdom, he added.
"Our endeavour is to develop tourism resorts without disturbing the natural environment," the CDA Chairman said. Besides, he said the Daman-i-Koh situated in Margalla hills was being reshaped without bringing in the new structure.
He said at Pir Sohawa a cottage restaurant was also being established which would enable the visitors to have a beautiful view of whole capital city particularly at evening hours.
To a question he said, Islamabad provided better traffic conditions if compared to other big cities of the country, however the efforts were going on to bring further improvement in roads infrastructure.
While further explaining, he said work of widening and improving the roads and streets was under process at a number of locations.
For the construction of fly-over interchange at Zero Point, the PC-1 had been finalised, he said adding very soon we would be taking it up."
Similarly, he said an under pass would be constructed at Jinnah Avenue.