A heart-breaking incident that happened in Murree took many lives. Where it left everyone in grief, it made us realize how our system has collapsed completely.
Calling it a failure to handle tourists or no prior policymaking (despite the issuance of red alert), whatever may be the reason, this mishap has proved that the claims of our Premier to make Pakistan “World’s Top Tourist Destination” was a mere delusion.
The government which on the one side wants to bring the international community at home has failed to handle its own tourists. How the international community will perceive this incident is another question when such incidents horrify the domestic tourists too. From victim blaming to arranging meetings to formulate policies post incidents, the government itself is showing its zero credibility.
Emphasis on tourism sounds good in conferences but nothing works without a practical approach. High charges, no facilities for families, costly hotels and their rents, unsafe roads, no fencing around sensitive zones, no E-booking for hotels and zero checks and balances are some of the many reasons behind the decline of tourism in Pakistan.
It’s obvious for people to visit foreign country with better facilities and great exposure than to travel unsafely to reach a domestic destination with no facilities. A recent report published on August 23, 2021, by Statista Research Department shows the number of trips from Pakistan to the United Kingdom between 2004 to 2021 increased from 74 thousand in 2013 to 90 thousand in 2020 (the number is expected to rise with each passing year).
Weather severity is one thing but making it a reason to blame victims rather than improving one’s own performance is absurd. The same are the conditions all around the world. Isn’t Switzerland a top tourist destination, despite having chilling winters? Better is to make tourist destinations safer and appealing, so anyone can come from any part of the world at any time.
It is important to be prepared to accommodate tourists before inviting them, otherwise, New Zealand’s concerns about security in Pakistan will always sound logical.
