Minister of State, Chairman Prime Minister’s Task Force on Gandhara Tourism Dr. Ramesh Kumar Vankwani Monday said the promotion of religious tourism would play a key role in making a roadmap of prosperity and development of the country. Addressing a press conference, flanked by a delegation of Buddhist monks from Vietnam here, the minister said the incumbent government was serious about promoting and projecting the country’s tourism to highlight the soft image of the country.
He said that Pakistan was fully safe for tourists, and offered the rich cultural heritage of the ancient Gandhara Civilization. He said the promotion of religious tourism would lead to enhance commercial activities and attract foreign exchange.
Dr. Ramesh Kumar said the symposium would also help to promote the soft image of the country and provide connectivity with the world. A three-day international Gandhara symposium will commence in Islamabad on July 11 to showcase the treasure trove Gandhara Civilization and Buddhist Heritage in Pakistan, he added.
Speaking on the occasion, the Buddhist Monks from Vietnam lauded Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and his government for facilitating Buddhist people and followers of other faiths to explore Gandhara Civilization and sites of Buddhism in Pakistan.
They said there will be more travelers in the future to visit the cultural heritage of Pakistan. They urged the media to play
its due role in promoting Gandhara civilization and Pakistan’s potential for religious tourism. The delegation also took a round of the Islamabad Museum and showed keen interest in Pakistan’s Buddhist heritage.
It is pertinent to mention that Prime Minister Muhammad Shehbaz Sharif and Foreign Minister Bilawal Bhutto Zardari will address the inaugural session of the symposium. The sole objective of the symposium was to raise global awareness about the historical and cultural significance of the Gandhara Civilization and Buddhist heritage in the country.
A number of Buddhist Monks from Malaysia, Vietnam, Thailand, Nepal, South Korea and Sri Lanka would attend the symposium. The title of the event is “Cultural Diplomacy: Reviving Gandhara Civilization and Buddhist Heritage in Pakistan”.
