ISLAMABAD: Shahzada Siraj Ulmulk has been included as member in the task force/working group on tourism created by the federal government with Prime Minister Imran Khan as its chairman. The task force held its first meeting here on Saturday.
Sources told ChitralToday that besides Shahzada Siraj, the adviser to the prime minister on climate change, ministers/secretaries tourism of all provinces, GB, and AJK, representatives of tour operators and Alpine Club etc., would be the members of the task force.
The task force has been formed by the PTI government to turn around the tourism industry by promoting local tourism and improving Pakistan’s image internationally and increase its direct contribution to the GDP.
Its terms of reference include identification of clear-cut roles of the federal, provincial and district governments and suggest coordination mechanism for boosting tourism. To suggest key performance indicators for organizations associated with the sector will also be the one of the responsibilities of the task force.
It will formulate plans for training of youth in the tourism and hospitality sectors for generating economic opportunities/jobs as well as improving service delivery.
It will also suggest a plan for developing 20 new tourist destinations in five years – four annually. The task force will propose a plan to decide the fate of the PTDC properties across the country.
Mr.Sirajul Mulk has been heard of boasting before outsiders that he is the elite and all other people in the valley are called Yuft or common folk that as a whole are servants of his family. With this sphere of mind and for the services he has done to Chitralis up to his age in seventies one may expect anything like a daydream.
Heartiest congratulation to shahzada sab, Good decision by IK. Siraj ul Mulk is well known personality not only in Pakistan but also in the worldwide. He is estimable person and have a capability to promote tourism not only in Pakistan but also in worldwide. We are proud of you stay healthy and evergreen.
Captain Siraj in his new capacity is the right man for the right job.To my knowledge no other person has the capacity as Capt.Siraj to tackle issues pertaining to and promote leisure industry effectively. Does anyone know or recall the event when dozens of choppers landed in Chitral mostly from abroad to participate in the inauguration ceremony of Hindukush Heights, not to speak of the influence he enjoys in the country. He is well aware of the issues of tourism in Pakistan and has conceptual understanding of the industry.
I would request everyone to stay away from personal biases and think globally and nationally in this matter. Captain Siraj’s selection is purely on merits.
Including Capt. Siraj in tourism and climate task force is the selection of the right person for the right job. He has been working on the related subjects for years in Oyon valley against deforestation. Most of the people in Chitral think that goat raising is the main reason of floods and soil erosion. As professional, I disagree on that. If rotational grazing was introduced effectively with the controlled number of goats according to family size, that could be 20 to 50 goats/family, it is never harmful to the forest. There are families who are involved in goat raising business over the centuries, and in certain parts of Chitral, goat raising is a source of livelihood. If we want to promote tourism we have very few options, like the promotion of Kalash culture and pulling them back from illegal activity of openly selling alcohol, which is impossible without raising goats, Kalash people can’t maintain any of their customs without goats. Kalash are the identity of Chitral, their festivals must be kept alive at any cost. Otherwise they get involved in illegal activities like open selling of alcohol to anyone without considering their age and religion. Selling of alcohol to Muslims and to Kalash youngsters is illegal constitutionally. During my stay with them for more than three months, I was told by Kalash people that they are doing it to buy goats from outside to fill their needs for maintaining their traditions. Once rotational grazing with a limited number of goats was implemented the soil erosion and growth of young trees could be ensured. As any forest plant in context of Chitral specially in Kalash climate reach to the size of 1.5 to 2 feet within 3-4 years and the goats don’t like to graze on them.
Second attraction is polo. It is noticed that people doing irrelevant businesses as selling clothes etc. are doing horse businesses, they rent off horses to people who just like the horses ring and destroying the image of traditional polo when try to play polo. I was told a bean (Chollay) seller in Chitral bazar has 5 horses to rent off. To protect the image of polo, only professional polo players must be allowed to keep horses. Otherwise, the tourist will lose interest in our traditional polo matches.
The third tourist attraction i believe is trekking. This interesting game needs special attention. we have the best treks in Chitral, the only thing to be done is to advertise it internationally and nationwide, we need to train few profession guides giving a feeling of safety and basic one day training before they leave for trekking. Effective emergency helpline must be put in place for any sort of mishap.
I know Capt. Siraj is well aware of Kalash culture, goat raising, trekking and polo better than anyone else, as he himself has been involved in all the said activities multiple times.
Dr. Khalil Jughooru.
Inclusion of Mr.Siraj ul Mulk in the task force on tourism is a good decision of IK/PTI and wish him all the best. From the news lines i think it is quite clear that he has been selected for the aforementioned task (TOURISM TASK FORCE MEMBER) only and in this regard he is a good choice and we all hope that he will prove his worth and bring good name and opportunities for Chitral in the field of tourism.
Dear Editor,
Through your online paper I would like to express my views on this particular subject which is under discussion over here. It seems some people (out of their personal biases) have decided to go against Capt. Siraj ul Mulk’s personality blindly without looking into some undeniable facts about him. I thought it is the right time that records must be put straight. I have known Capt. Siraj sb on personal capacity as well as a professional working with him for over two years in the past decade. I have found him an upright, brave, bold, honest and hardworking person. It is a known fact that he is very well connected not only in Chitral and Pakistan but also worldwide. He has never used his connections to manipulate other people or their businesses; all he says is “the work must be done right now, here-he hates procrastination and people who advocate such norms which involve delaying tactics”. That is the reason he is not liked by some because he doesn’t like “sifarish” and he upholds merit BUT when it comes to the overall benefit of the people of Chitral, he even sacrifices his own principles-painfully, just to help the people of Chitral. Yes, he is a shrewd businessman and why not? Who in the world would start a business meant to be failed? NOONE-so if he is doing business that is his right BUT on the other hand alongside business what he is doing for the people of Chitral, he doesn’t boasts off about those things neither want people to praise him for that. He is doing it because he wants to help Chitral get developed, he wants the locals to stand upon their feet and work hard. Have you ever seen him propagating Status Quo? He would not like me to say it in Public but I ask you frankly, whom do we approach in Chitral as a last resort when someone gets into trouble with LEAs or administration etc.? I want to say many things here but Siraj sb would not like it that way as he doesn’t care because he doesn’t need any reward. This is the least we can do is to thank him for what he has done for Chitral and its people so far instead of ill talking about his personality. His inclusion in the TASK FORCE is the ONE thing IK did right. We don’t need a Harvard educated Climate Change expert to come to Chitral and tell us about Chiantar or Shahjinali or Kurumbara or Madaklasht as Siraj sb has been to these places many times and knows about the terms “Climate” and “Change” and what it means when you combine these two and how it affects the local population. Perhaps we forgot that he once ran a project on Cultural Eco Tourism in Pakistan. If you can’t praise his good deeds at least don’t publicise your personal dislike about him cloud your judgement.
I would love to know Mr. siraj’s contribution in tourism sector in Chitral.
Heartiest congratulations to Shahzada Siraj ul Mulk on becoming Member of the PM’s Task Force on Tourism. A true representation of the tourism potential Chitral on the Forum. We Wish Shahzada sahib all the best.
Capt Sh. Siraj is a worthy and dignified son of Chitral. It is a good news for Chitral to have one of his own in the national task force on tourism. He has the needed competence and insight to make the task force an effective forum.
His active role in the activities of the task force will help to bring more tourists to chitral resulting in befits to the community and to highlight tourism opportunities in Chitral to the outside world. There have been missed opportunities in the realm of projecting Chitral as a tourist destination, Sh. Siraj’s new assignment will prove to be a blessing for Chitralis in this regard.
Mr. siraj has already been putting his great efforts to fight against negative change in the environment. we do not need any other professional in the field holding a PHD degree but doing nothing except earning salary at the end of the month. it is a need of time to work together and save globe. Mr. siraj is well deserving person for the said assignment.Moreover, he is popular in the public because his healthy activities. we all should help him.
@Shams you have some surface information about Siraj sb, you should look behind his Facebook posts and look his role in Langland school running the school and using it for his and relatives benefit.
Mudassir, you only have told the truth. I am agreed with you.
We would want some expert to be the advisor of PM on climate change and other related issues because he has no such speciality in this field. . Mr Siraj would be good to advise how doing business in tourism and other sector, his business is doing business.