Political intervention has devastated PTDC: Zulfiqar Bukhari

ISLAMABAD: Special Assistant to Prime Minister on Overseas Pakistan, Zulfiqar Bukhari, has said that Political intervention has devastated Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC).

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad today (Sunday), Zulfiqar Bukhari asserted that the decision to sack PTDC employees was not taken because of coronavirus pandemic. “PTDC was incurring losses. I want to dispel the misconception that we laid people off due to COVID, that is not what happened,” he added.

The Special Assistant further said that in 2019 the cabinet had decided to make a mechanism for running the corporation and negotiate with the relevant unions for layoffs.

He assured that PTDC’s motels will be handed over to the provinces along with a template for leasing them to the private sector for the next 30 years.

He said, “PTDC has been restructured in order to become an efficient organisation,” adding that 70 young professionals will be hired to work on Pakistan’s branding, marketing, and facilitation after coordinating with the provinces.

PM’s aide further announced that Pakistan will host the Global Tourism Forum in 2021. “The country will also be hosting the tourism summit of D-8 countries in 2022,” he added.

Zulfiqar Bukhari also said that the PTI-led federal government has formulated a policy of ten years to uplift tourism in Pakistan. “The government has also developed five years action plan in this regard,” he added.

Commenting on privatizing the PIA-owned hotel, he categorically said that the government is not privatizing Roosevelt Hotel in New York.