Pakistan to organise Buddhist conference

The Nation, March 2, 2017 Rawalpindi, Pakistan -- Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) is planning to organise a Buddhist conference with an aim to promote tourism in the country. The Buddhist scholars and tour operators would be invited to attend the conference, said Managing Director (MD) PTDC Chaudhry Abdul Ghafoor while talking to journalists before his departure to Thailand on Wednesday. The managing director observed that this 4-day visit to Thailand would prove to increase the influx of Thai tourists to visit Pakistan for witnessing beautiful places, mountaineering areas besides seeing their own religious sites. He said that Pakistan is the custodian of Gandhara Buddhist civilisation and there are numerous holy places in this country of great value for Buddhist people from across the world. The significance of Buddhist civilisation remains in Pakistan can boost up tourist flow to Pakistan as a result of proper publicity. He said that the Thailand government will provide assistance for restoration/maintenance of Ghandhara Archaeological sites in Taxila and Swat. To a question, Ghafoor Khan stated that during his stay in Thailand he besides attending meeting at Tourism Authority of Thailand would visit World Medical Centre Hospital and hold meeting with the officials of Experience Thai Airways. He said that special tour packages would be introduced in order to promote tourism. He said publicity material on Ghandhara will be published in Thai language soon. Chaudhry Ghafoor said that PTDC will also invite travel writers to project Ghandhara heritage and highlight tourist attractions of Pakistan to enhance the soft image of Pakistan in Thailand,” he added. The PTDC intends to sign MoU with Thai Air for promotion of tourism in Pakistan. He said that PTDC would also plan to organise a Buddha Heritage exhibition in Thailand is to attract the Buddhist tourists to visit Pakistan to see their religious sites at Taxila, Thakt Bhai and Swat. He said that PTDC is working to promote religious tourism, eco-tourism, sports tourism and health tourism in Pakistan.