The new Sindh Tourism Minister, Mohammad Ali Malkani, an MPA of Pakistan Muslim League-Q, is the fifth minister of the PPP-led provincial government during its about three and half years. The frequent change of minister has affected the promotion and development of tourism sector in the province.
Before Malkani, the provincial law minister Ayaz Soomro has had the additional charge of the department. Before Ayaz Soomro, Tourism was allocated to Advisor to Chief Minister Imtiaz Ahmed Shaikh, while the incumbent Minister for Power Shazia Marri and Minister for Culture Sassui Palijo have also headed the department.
Due to the frequent changes of head of the department, tourism could not be promoted in the province despite many efforts. Billions of rupees have been allocated in Annual Development Programme during the last several years for the department, whereas the federal governments had also set aside funds for promotion of tourism.
An official told Business Recorder that Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa governments were earning huge revenue from tourism sector while PPP-led Sindh government was using the portfolio of tourism department to appease its allies and their party men. He said that every new minister/advisor tried to adjust his/her own people in the department that affected the process of development of tourism industry.
He said that the Gorakh Hills station had been declared as summer resort in 1860 by British rulers along with Koh-e-Saar Marri, Ziyarat, Shimla, and other hilly areas. "All the areas thereafter have been developed; but Gorakh Hills' station is still un-attended due to this kind of non-serious behaviour of governments," he added. He revealed that advertisement inviting application to fill 54 vacancies in the department were got published during the period of Shazia Marri but could not be filled due to change of Ministers.
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