Dying Tourism in Pakistan Affects Workers Slug: Pakistan tourism Reporter: Malik Ayub Sumbal Date: 07/06/2013 !

"R# "$ousan%s o& 'orkers o& t$e Pakistan "ourism De(elopment )orporation 'ent on strike t$roug$out t$e *ountry last 'eek+ "$ey are %eman%ing t$at t$eir salaries are pai%+++ some o& t$em $a(en,t been pai% &or o(er a year no'+ Many say t$is is linke% to t$e %e*lining tourism in%ustry in t$e *ountry+ -rom slamaba%. Malik Ayub Sumbal &in%s out more+ "/0" S-0 strike slogans Aroun% 300 'orkers o& t$e Pakistan "ourism De(elopment )orporation stoo% in &ront o& t$eir $ea% o&&i*e in slamaba%+ "$ey,re $ol%ing pla*ar%s an% *$anting slogans. a**using t$e go(ernment o& being *orrupt+ "$ey %eman%e% t$eir salaries to be pai%+++ some $a(en,t been pai% &or o(er a year+ Ma1i% 2a3oob is one o& t$em ++++ $e,s t$e Presi%ent o& t$e employee union+ Ma1i% 2a3oob *lip 1 4Male. 5r%u6 78e 'ill &ig$t &or our rig$ts an% &or t$e sake o& t$e prote*tion o& t$e rig$ts o& t$e employees until our last breat$+ 8e $a(e not re*ei(e% our salaries &or t$e last one year but t$e *orruption by t$e managing %ire*tor $ere is still going on+ 8e *an,t bear t$is in1usti*e in t$e %epartment anymore+9 Pakistan "ourism De(elopment )orporation is a go(ernment bo%y t$at pro(i%es transportation to (arious areas an% o'ns se(eral motels a*ross t$e *ountry &or tourists+ "$e 5nion a**uses $ig$:le(el management o& being *orrupt an% $as &ile% a *ase to t$e !ational A**ountability ;ureau+ ;ut t$e management *laims t$ere 'ere &inan*ial problems in t$e organisation an% $a% aske% &or &inan*ial $elp &rom t$e go(ernment+ S-0 !ort$ern Areas -olk Musi*: Soun% o& bir%s an% &lo'ing 'ater&alls

Sin*e t$e 2011 atta*k against t$e 5nite% States. t$e tourism in%ustry in Pakistan $as been getting 'orse+ #ne o& t$e areas t$at su&&er t$e most is t$e S'at <alley+++ t$at &ell in t$e $an%s o& t$e "aliban in 200=+ "$e *las$ bet'een Pakistan Army an% t$e "aliban $a% %estroye% many tourist spots+++ in*lu%ing Malam >abba. t$e go(ernment:o'ne% largest ski resort+ 5sman ?$an is t$e )$airman o& t$e -e%eral nstitute o& "ourism an% @otel Management+ 5sman ?$an *lip 1 4Male. 5r%u6: 78$en t$e 'ar *$e*k in to any *ountry. t$e tourists *$e*k out &rom t$at region+ n Pakistan. t$e tourism %e*line% %ue to t$e negati(e images o& Pakistan by t$e lo*als an% international me%ia+9 "$e 8orl% /*onomi* -orum still ranks Pakistan as one o& t$e least &rien%ly *ountries &or &oreigners+ 30:year:ol% tourist gui%e Asma ?$an says t$at Pakistan "ourism Department s$oul% %o more to bring ba*k tourists+ Asma ?$an *lip 1 4-emale. 5r%u6: 7Pakistan &a*e% a 'orst %e*line a&ter t$e A:11 but t$ere are also &aults o& t$e Pakistani $ig$:le(el o&&i*ials+ "$ey totally &ail to promote t$e tourism in Pakistan espe*ially t$e Pakistan "ourism Department '$i*$ $a(e en1oye% a $uge re(enue generate% &rom t$e &oreign tourists in t$e past+9 An% among t$e (i*tims are employees o& t$e Pakistan "ourism Department+ 2A:year:ol% "a$ira ?$an. an a*ti(ist &rom t$e opposition "e$rik:e: nsa& party says t$e go(ernment must take *are o& t$e allege% *orruption *ase &irst in or%er to %e(elop tourism+ "a$ira *lip 1 4-emale. 5r%u6: 7"$ere are *$allenges an% *orruption allegations to t$e Pakistan tourism bo%y but 'e $a(e to sa(e Bo%,s gi&te% assets+ "$e nort$ern areas o& Pakistan are &ull o& beauty an% *ulturally ri*$ t$at &as*inates international tourists+ 8e s$oul% 'ipe out *orrupt o&&i*ers &rom t$e tourism bo%y an% make t$em a**ountable an% gi(e t$e salaries to t$e sta&&+9 S-0 strike slogans ;a*k at t$e protest site+++ 5nion general se*retary 8a3ar A$me% says t$ey promise to *ontinue t$e strike i& t$e ne'ly: ele*te% go(ernment %oesn,t anyt$ing+ 8a3ar A$me% *lip 1 4Male. 5r%u6: 7 t,s really $ar% &or me to meet bot$ en%s un%er t$is situation+ 8e &aile% to &ee% our &amilies be*ause 'e %i%n,t get pai% &or t$e last one year+ s t$is 1usti*eC t,s a mo*kery to t$e poor people an% 'e 'ill not silent on t$is issue+9

-or Asia )alling t$is is Malik Ayub Sumbal &rom slamaba%+