THE province of Sindh has a rich history, diverse culture, spiritual heritage and natural beauty, giving it a significant potential for tourism. Unfortunately, serious and sincere efforts have not been made for the proper promotion of tourism in Sindh. Historical as well as archaeo-logical sites have not received the required attention.

Two forts in Hyderabad city, Kaho Jo Daro in Mirpurkhas, Lakhan Jo Daro in Sukkur, and Mansura (Brahmanabad) in Sanghar have been victims of neglect and apathy, with the result these sites have been either encroached upon, or being misused for commercial, residential and agricultural purposes.

Despite spending billions of rupees in the name of the development of Gorakh hill station over the last decade, a motorable road of good quality has not been constructed for easy and safe access to the hill station.

Unfortunately, the inadequate lodging/boarding facilities that are available there have been under the monopoly of some people who discourage tourists from vis-iting the place. As such, an ambitious programme for the development of Keenjhar Lake as well as its surroundings as a tourist spot of international standard on a public-private partnership basis was announced and initial paperwork was done in 2010, but it has not seen the light of the day so far.

No doubt, the promotion of tourism and development of tourist sites in Sindh require a comprehensive strategic app-roach focussing on preserving cultural heritage, upgrading available infrastr-ucture, launching promotional campaigns, introducing tourist-friendly policies, exploring untapped avenues, providing reliable transport services, and, most importantly, ensuring safety as well as security of all the tourists.

Shams Jafrani
Karachi

Published in Dawn, October 15th, 2024