Tourism in Pakistan

Outline
(1) Introduction
(2) Tourism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwah
(3) Tourism in Punjab
(4) Tourism in Sindh
(5) Tourism in Punjab
(6) Tourism in Islamabad
(7) Causes of declining tourism in the country
(a) Terrorism
(b) Political instability
(c) Lack of proper infrastructure
(d) Lack promotion
(8) Measures to revive tourism in the country
(a) Improved law and order situation
(b) Proper communication facilities
(c) Promotion of tourism in the country and abroad
(d) Restoration, maintenance and security of ancient
archeological sites
(9) Conclusion

Pakistan abounds in tourist attractions due to its rich history,

diverse cultures and varied landscapes. The tourism industry in
Pakistan reached its peak in 1970s when millions of tourists
visited Pakistan each year. There are many tourist locations in all
four provinces and the federal areas of Pakistan. Foreign tourists
still visit Pakistan. However, the number has fallen steeply due to
terrorism and massive floods of 2010. Lack of roads, hotels and
other facilities is also a reason of declining tourism in Pakistan.
Nevertheless, tourism industry of the country can be set on the
stable footing with concerted efforts on the part of the
government.
Every province and region of Pakistan possesses one or the
other tourist attraction. Khyber Pakhtunkhawah is a tourism
hotspot due to its green valleys, tall mountains, ancient forts,
mountain passes etc. Mansehra city is an important stop for the
tourists travelling to the northern areas. From the city starts the
most famous Karakoram highway which ends in China. Along the
route are many tourist spots, such as Kaghan valley, Balakot,
Naran, Lake saif-ul- Mulook and Babusar Top. Other places to visit
in the province are Batkhela, Chakdara, saidu sharif, Ayubia,
Kalam valley and Hindu Kush mountain range in Chitral. Among
mountain passes, Khyber Pass is the most famous. It connects
Afghanistan to Pakistan. Shandoor Pass is the longest mountain
pass. It is also called the roof of the world. It connects Chitral to
other cities.
Punjab attracts tourists due to its ancient archeological
sites, forts, gardens, palaces and hill stations. Lahore is the
capital of Punjab province (this sentence seems like an odd-manout. You can try like this Lahore, the capital of the Punjab, is
indeed the cultural capital of the country). It is cultural capital of
the country. Lahore (it- noun Lahore should not be repeated
because it has already been mentioned in the previous sentence)
harbours many historical places, such as the Badshahi Mosque,

the Shahi Kila (the royal fort), Minar-e- Pakistan and mausoleums
of great saints, conquerors, poets, etc. Tourists also come to visit
places, such as historical Anarkali Market, the walled city, Gaddaf
stadium etc. In the northern part of Punjab, there is a hill station
in Muree. People spend their summer here due to its pleasant
weather, green hills and forests. Clock tower markets of
Faisalabad are also famous as these are constructed on the
pattern of Union Jack flag. The southern part of Punjab is famous
for mausoleums of saints. The city of Multan is particularly known
as the city of saints. The shrine of Bahauddin Zakaria is well
known in the city. Palaces and Lal Sunhara National Park are good
places to visit in the district Bahawalpur of the Southern Punjab.
The province of Sindh is located in the southern part of
Pakistan. Like Punjab and KPK, Sindh is full of tourist sites. In the
northern part of Sindh, there are Minar of Masoom Shah and Labe- Mehran, a river side picnic spot in Sukkur. Mausoleums of
famous Bhutto family of Sindh and ancient ruins of Moen-jo- Daro,
which is declared as UNESCO heritage site, are located in the
district Larkana. In central Sindh, there is Gorakh Hill station in
dadu. In Thatta, there is a historical Shahjahan Mosque, Keenjhar
Lake and Makli graveyard, which is one of the largest graveyards
in the world. In the southern Sindh, is located Pakistans biggest
city, Karachi. There are large number tourist sites in Karachi
(there is a large number of tourist sites...) Clifton sea-view,
Hawks bay, and Manora are popular beaches in the city. There
are amusement parks, such as Quaid-e-Azam Park, Alladin Park,
Safari Park, etc. Karachi is the city where the founder of Pakistan
Quaid-e- Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah was born and buried. People
come to recite fatiha at his mausoleum.
Baluchistan is the largest province of Pakistan. It is situated
in the south-western part of the country. Like the other provinces
Baluchistan is rich in tourist spots. Quaid-e-Azam residency and
one of the worlds largest and the oldest juniper forests are

located in Ziarat. Gawadar port is the only deep-water port in

Pakistan, situated in the city of Gwadar.
There are also many places to visit for tourists in the capital
city of Pakistan, Islamabad (there are also many places to visit in
the capital. Or there are also many places for the tourists to
visit in the capital..) The city is well known for its green hills and
serenity. One can visit the places like the Faisal Mosque, Pakistan
Monument, hill stations like Daman-e-Koh and Shaker Paniyan and
Lok Virsa Caf Museum. The city is surrounded by Margalla Hills,
which add (adds) to its beauty.
Notwithstanding Pakistans richness in tourist destinations,
the tourism industry in the country is declining. It is not hard to
fathom the causes of this decline. Terrorism is the most important
cause of declining tourism in the country. Terrorist attacks on
foreigners, hotels and other targets make Pakistan a dangerous
country for tourists (the tourists). Travel advisories of foreign
countries advise their citizens against visiting Pakistan. Nanga
Parbat killing of tourists and attacks on Chinese workers in
Baluchistan have scared visitors away.
Political instability is another important reason for
declining tourism in the country. Due to violent protests, political
rivalries and overall violent political culture, tourists often prefer
other countries over Pakistan. It is a well known fact that
metropolitan cities like Karachi are dangerous for local as well as
foreign visitors. Violence can break out anytime jeopardizing the
lives of (the) tourists. This sends negative message to tourists the
world over.
Lack of proper infrastructure also discourages tourists
from visiting Pakistan. Absence of roads, railway routes, hotels
etc., in certain areas make them inaccessible to tourists. Due to
floods in 2010, roads and hotels in the northern areas were

destroyed. Hotels along the banks of rivers were completely

obliterated by the floods. Construction of these (supply a noun
after the word these) has been slow and inadequate. The absence
of roads in these areas makes it difficult for tourists to reach their
destinations. Thus, this ultimately affects Pakistans tourists
industry negatively.
Like other factors, lack of promotion of tourism locally and
abroad by the authorities is also a cause of its decline. We have
not seen any campaigns on the part of the authorities to promote
tourism. Other countries with signifcant tourism industry often
advertise on television, arrange tourist trips or festivals to attract
visitors to these areas. However, this is not the case in Pakistan.
Due to the governments apathy, tourists do not show much
interest to visit Pakistan.
Peaceful Pakistan is the prerequisite for the revival of
tourism in the country. Providing tourists with security or securing
a few tourist spots will not improve the conditions. Rather, we
should improve overall law and order situation in the country. Acts
of violence whether these are carried out against tourists or the
general populace, send out a negative message about Pakistan
(or you can say whether acts of violence are carried out against
the tourists or the general populace, they always send out a
negative message about Pakistan abroad). Thus, anti-terrorism
efforts should be taken in the whole country. Until and unless
terrorism is defeated and law and order situation is improved, all
other efforts to revive tourism will prove unless (useless). So, it is
very important to restore peace in the country.
Communication is very important for the countrys tourism
industry. All roads leading to the countrys important tourist
attractions should be repaired. Apart from roads, railway tracks
should be built in the northern areas. Telecommunication facility

should be extended to the areas where it doesnt exist. These

measures will contribute to tourists safety and convenience and
thereby will encourage more tourists to visit Pakistan.
Apart from building roads, the government should
promote tourism in Pakistan abroad. We have witnessed many
countries run advertisements to attract foreign as well as local
tourists. Besides running advertisements, the Pakistani tourism
authorities should arrange events such as eco- tourism, local
cultural festivals, etc. These steps will go a long way in attracting
tourists towards the country.
The government should also take steps to restore and
maintain ancient archeological sites. Such sites are more often
than not in dilapidated conditions. At times, artifacts kept at
museums located near such sites are stolen. The government
should take steps to ensure restoration, maintenance and security
of these archeological sites. These sites will add spice to tourism
in Pakistan.
In short, it can be said that Pakistan (is) rich in tourist
destinations. It is house (correct word is home; house is not a
good substitute for it in this context) to great peaks, hill stations,
museums, mountain passes, mosques, palaces, fortresses,
beaches, etc. It once used to be a tourist hub. However, due to
terrorism, massive floods of 2010, lack of proper roads and
railway tracks leading to the northern areas and poor condition of
archeological sites have led to steep decline in the number of
tourists visiting Pakistan each year. Nevertheless, tourism can be
revived in the country if such steps as maintenance law and order
situation, building means of communication in the far flung areas,
promoting tourist spots in the media and restoring and
maintaining ancient archeological sites, etc., are taken with true
devotion. Tourism will not only contribute to our fnancial well-

being, but also will (but will also) improve Pakistans image
abroad.