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Fighting terrorism through tourism!
Adil
Zareef
The enterprising Chief Minister
Amir Haider Khan Hoti has recently proposed a $4 billion peace
package by the provincial government for social development
sectors as well as fighting the intractable jihadis in our the
war-torn province. He has rightly touched upon the need to
address socio-economic needs of the population as a touchstone
for healing the deep scars of terrorism that has paralysed the
economy.
In fact it is a Catch-22
situation, where extreme poverty breeds desperation, thus
leading to extremism. To tide over extremism would need a long
haul and a multi-pronged approach. Should “war on terrorism”
proceed as usual or peace given a chance? Peace and prosperity
are interlinked just like desperation and terrorism. Therefore,
reversing this vicious cycle by generating the economic
opportunities and exploring meaningful livelihoods for the
desperately deprived sections of population is a rational way
out. It seems sanity is dawning on the architects of previous
gung-ho policy.
Besides, hydel profit and
tobacco, the tourist industry, is one of our major income
generating industry that has been seriously hit by the recent
spate of terrorism. Boosting 70% of the renowned tourist spots
of Pakistan, there has been a 90% decline in foreign tourists,
since 2001. Sarhad Tourism Corporation (STC) has demanded a $40
million relief package as compensation from the federal
government for the loss of revenue of a billion dollar industry
that has suffered incalculable losses.
Azam Khan, the dynamic MD, STC,
who sincerely wants to turn over a new leaf in the redundant
system, recently wrote a memorandum to the provincial
government: “Our mountains, valleys, plains, green forests and
lush meadows, our historical monuments and lofty traditions were
known for their beauty and recreation of visitors from all over.
They never were meant to be, day in and day out in the news, for
terrorism and militancy. We need your active participation to
bring back and highlight the lost lustre of this land and its
people. Would you make your contribution to changing the current
perception of the world about the Frontier – from being a land
of hostility to its original theme of being a land of
hospitality?”
To remedy this distorted image,
STC has already planned a year-long activity schedule throughout
the province, to give a boost to domestic tourism, generate
healthy activities and competition and to highlight the region
for positive images than for terrorism.
Sarhad Conservation Network that
has been lobbying for conservation of natural and built heritage
and healthy lifestyle, since 2002, was honoured to be taken on
board for this initiative. Many cultural, literary and tourist
activities are under consideration in partnership with STC
during current year. On 10th May the first cultural evening is
being planned at the historic Sethi house.
The promotional reads: ‘Deep in
the old walled city of Peshawar, Mohallah Sethian is a living
monument to the provincial capital’s glorious past. More than a
hundred and fifty years old, its interconnected houses were
built for the Sethi family, one of the great business dynasties
of the subcontinent. Hidden inside these houses, covering their
ceilings and walls like a mantle, is decorative woodwork of
exquisite quality and chandeliers dating to the Tsarist Russia.
Through a galaxy of pre-Islamic, Moghul, Sikh and even British
motifs, much of Peshawar’s rich and variegated cultural and
architectural history can be traced.’
The proposed event will help to
revive cultural tourism in the walled city, bring about general
awareness and also help in conservation of the old heritage
sites as envisioned under the plan of the provincial cultural
department.
This historic house was acquired
by the Directorate of Archaeology & Museums Government of NWFP
in 2006, after hectic lobbying of the civil society against its
sale to a big proprietor who wanted to demolish it to erect a
skyscraper. This pilot project is meant to identify important
cultural/ heritage landmarks and traditions of the city and try
to turn them into tourist spots on regular basis.
It is planned to arrange for a
khehwa khana inside, as well as serve Kashmiri tea along with
traditional snacks and traditional music in the backdrop. Story
telling by heritage experts about the history of Sethian houses
and expert spotlight lightening up of its architectural beauty -
and print its history with photos as souvenir photo cards/
brochures for tourists are planned.
Azam Khan argues, “I would
venture to say that one of the ways to defeat terrorism or
militancy is through ‘dry the swamps’ approach, and the swamp in
our case is poverty and unemployment. Tourism has a multiplier
effect in the target area. It gives rise to multi-sectoral
employment and generates multi-dimensional economic activity.
Thus while terrorism and militancy is definitely a damper on
tourism, struggling to develop tourism against all odds could
well cut at the very roots of terrorism/militancy by diverting
the manpower feeding it to more productive gains. In any case it
is better than doing nothing and ‘waiting for Godot’. Don’t you
think?”
SCN concurs with this perception
as we desperately need robust institutions as well as
individuals of magnanimity and acumen to take further the great
cause – of peace, happiness, celebration and laughter – which as
a nation, we tend to have lost in the tangle of national
tragedies and adversities. We need to collect our collective
psyche for collective good and service. So let’s begin now.
The writer is a general
secretary Sarhad Conservation Network and may be contacted at
scn_pk@yahoo.com |