TAKHT BHAI, Pakistan: The government of northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) has devised a multi-pronged strategy to revive and refurbish the vibrant tourism sector in the province to preserve the sacred Buddhist sites and other historic monuments of the British era.
The initiative is aimed at attracting national and international tourists and multiply businesses to the province’s tribal areas, a senior official said.
Nisar Muhammad, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) for KP’s minister for tourism, archaeology, sports, culture, and youth affairs, told Arab News that the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government estimates the presence of more than 1,000 sites of historical and religious importance, with 132 sites situated in the newly-merged Khyber tribal district alone.
“In a bid to promote religious tourism in KP and war-ravaged erstwhile FATA region, there are many Buddhist sacred places which the followers of the religion want to visit. We have written letters to embassies of seven countries including China, Japan, and Korea about the KP government’s plans to preserve the Buddhist sites to promote religious tourism here,” he said.
Muhammad Zaman, a resident of Takht Bhai, said hundreds of people visit the Buddhist sites on a weekly basis, adding that the government should take measures to rebuild the roads and structures in the larger interest of the country and minorities.
Takht Bhai — part of the World Heritage List — is one of the world’s most renowned and well-structured Buddhist monasteries. It is located almost 500 feet atop a small mountain, with a range of up to two kilometers, toward the east of Takht Bhai bazaar in the KP province.
Known as the heart of the Gandhara civilization, it attracts tourists, historians, and archaeologists from across the country but its preservation would attract Buddhists from across the world, Zaman said.
Founded in the early first century, the Takht Bhai Buddhist monastic complex (Throne of Origins) has survived successive invasions and is well preserved due to its location on top of the high hill.
A number of locals say that the Buddhist complex and the surrounding village are widely believed to be named after two wells which were found on top of the hill near the complex.
Takht — which basically means throne and bhai which means water in Persian — was named after the spring located on the left side of the Buddhist site, Sher Nawaz, another local, added.
Muhammad said that the top administrators in every district of the province have been instructed to identify historical places in their respective areas which would help pave way for a fresh survey of the places, adding that 20 more tourist spots would be identified in the next four years.
Nawaz Uddin, a research officer at the KP archaeology department, said that the provincial government is striving to initiate some work on preserving the historical sites but full-fledged work would begin once the budget for the purpose is allocated in the tribal districts.
“KP has over 6,000 historical sites, with some of them have sacred places of ancient religions but we have no scientific survey of the erstwhile FATA region. Only one district of tribal areas known as Khyber tribal district has 132 sites,” he added.
Professor Jamil Yousafzai, an archaeologist in KP, stressed that the preservation of historical sites — primarily those holding religious importance — would bolster the image of the country and lure investments as well.
“The KP government has taken a brilliant step to preserve the sites of Buddhism and other minorities. This depicts that our soil is rich and has the credit of being a cradle of world religion,” he observed.
The areas of Swat, Bunner, Swabi, Takht Bhai, Khyber tribal district, and other parts of the province and tribal regions are rich in historical sites.
Mehrab Afridi, a local from the Khyber tribal district, recalled how the decade-old wave of insurgency severely impacted the tourism sector of the province, driving tourists away from visiting the area.
“As militancy has now been banished in the wake of successive military operations, the rich tourism sector is again on a take-off position. People start visiting Buddhist-period archaeological sites in Swat, Landi Kotal, Jamrud in Khyber tribal district and other areas, which have multiplied businesses,” Afridi said.
He said that the main Stupa in Landi Kotal of the Khyber tribal district is being frequented by visitors on a daily basis. However, the sites need restoration work which would help develop the war-torn region.
Atif Khan, KP minister for tourism, archaeology, sports and culture — during his maiden visit to the newly-merged tribal district of Khyber — had pledged that a Safari train till Torkham border would be launched again which would generate employment opportunities for the locals, too.
He told media that KP has more than 1,000 sacred Buddhist sites of which 100 of them are located in the Khyber tribal district.
Muhammad said that the KP government has formally requested the central government to help the province launch the Safari train from Peshawar all the way to the Torkham border with Afghanistan.
Nawaz Uddin said preserving archaeological and historical sites should not be looked at from a financial point of view. Rather, it is an exercise to work toward preserving the country’s national heritage which depicts the rich history of Pakistan.
“We can attract foreign tourists as the newly-merged districts have a large number of sacred sites of Buddhism. The area can be turned into a religious tourism spot,” he added.
Pakistan to begin restoration work of sacred Buddhist sites, British-era monuments in KP
Pakistan to begin restoration work of sacred Buddhist sites, British-era monuments in KP
- Measures are part of province’s initiative to revive vibrant tourism sector
- Is home to more than 1,000 sites of historic and religious significance
Lion cub gifted to Pakistani YouTube star causes wedding chaos
- Rajab Butt has one of the largest online followings in the South Asian country and his week-long nuptials in late December were plastered over celebrity gossip websites
- Pictures spread rapidly online when a sleepy lion cub was presented to him in a gold-chained cage in front of thousands of guests who partied late into the night in Lahore
LAHORE: A Pakistani YouTube star who was gifted a lion cub on his wedding day has avoided jail after promising a judge to upload animal rights videos for a year.
Rajab Butt has one of the largest online followings in the South Asian country and his week-long nuptials in late December were plastered over celebrity gossip websites.
When a sleepy lion cub, resembling young Simba from the 2019 “Lion King” film, was presented to him in a gold-chained cage in front of thousands of guests who partied late into the night in the eastern megacity of Lahore, pictures spread rapidly online.
Butt captioned a video of the event “it’s raining gifts,” racking up nearly 10 million views.
The morning after, police raided his house, confiscated the cub and kept the newly-wed in custody overnight.
“We found out about the lion cub through social media,” said Faisal Mushtaq, an inspector from the Punjab provincial wildlife department.
Police officers went to Butt’s house and found the lion cub roaming around the garage, he said.
“It was in a poor condition, as it was very cold,” said Mushtaq.
Last week, Butt pleaded guilty to owning an undocumented wild animal but the judge waived a possible fine and prison sentence of up to two years for a more tailored punishment.
Every month for one year, he must post a five-minute video dedicated to animal rights, said the order by judge Hamid Ul Rahman Nasir.
The social media influencer agreed to the conditions, after admitting in a court statement that he “set a poor example” by accepting the gift and going on to “glorify it.”
Butt is one of the country’s highest-paid YouTube stars, according to the platform, and usually posts videos about his family’s daily life, from arguments to new car purchases.
Tanvir Janjua, a veteran wildlife official in Punjab, said the cub was likely bought for between 700,000 and 800,000 Pakistani rupees ($2,500-$2,900).
“It is so wrong, morally and legally, to take away such a small cub from its mother,” which was likely still feeding it, he told AFP.
NEW REGULATIONS
A week after the YouTuber was arrested, an adult lion escaped from his cage, running through the narrow streets of a Lahore neighborhood as residents clambered to their rooftops.
The full-grown adult male was eventually shot dead by a security guard, prompting heated outrage on social media about the dangers of keeping a big cat in a residential area.
Big cats are imported and bred across Pakistan, seen as symbols of wealth and power to the elite that own them.
Last year, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz, which rules the government, banned supporters from bringing lions — the symbol of the party — to political rallies.
However, stringent new regulations banning private ownership of big cats in residential areas are currently making their way through Punjab’s provincial government.
Breeders would have to buy a license and have at least 10 acres (four hectares) of land on a site approved by wildlife officials.
‘NEVER BE YOUR PET’
The gifted lion cub, which hasn’t been named, is now enjoying the winter sun in an open pen at Lahore’s sprawling Safari Zoo on the edge of the city, under the watchful eye of a handler.
Janjua, also the zoo’s deputy director, has conducted hundreds of raids against owners, breeders and poachers over the past 33 years to confiscate wild animals, including lions which often had their teeth and claws removed.
“Look at these YouTubers who use these animals to get clicks. What kind of a message are they spreading by being cruel to these animals?” he said, scornful of those who parade them in their cars and at political rallies.
“They can never be your pet. For two or three months it won’t say anything but after that, it will turn aggressive.”
As he nears retirement, Janjua says attitudes toward animals have worsened throughout his career. Laws, however, have improved, he says.
“Now wildlife officials have dedicated uniforms, weapons and we will get our own courts,” he told AFP.
“The courts that already exist are now strict about animal cruelty.”
Next two years ‘crucial’ for Pakistan to expand presence in key Saudi business sectors— envoy
- Ahmad Farooq urges Pakistan to impart skills to its workforce in line with requirements of Saudi market
- Says Pakistanis can enhance presence in Kingdom’s construction, IT, health care, hotels and hospitality sectors
KARACHI: Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq this week said that the next two years are crucial for Pakistani entities to expand their presence in key Saudi business sectors, urging them to capitalize on Riyadh’s ambitious measures to make its economy less dependent on oil.
Saudi Arabia is consolidating its economy on modern lines under the Vision 2030 program, which is a strategic development framework intended to cut the Kingdom’s reliance on oil. It is aimed at developing public service sectors such as health, education, infrastructure, recreation and tourism.
Pakistan has pushed for greater trade and economic ties with the Kingdom in recent months. In October 2024, the two countries signed business agreements worth $2.8 billion. Saudi Arabia is also home to over two million Pakistani expatriates, serving as the largest source of foreign workers’ remittances for the South Asian nation.
Farooq visited the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI) on Wednesday to engage with Pakistani businesspersons and industrialists, a statement from the KCCI said.
“Pakistan’s Ambassador to Saudi Arabia Ahmad Farooq, while highlighting the massive transformation in Saudi Arabia under Vision 2030 focused on diversifying the economy beyond oil, emphasized that the next one to two years will be crucial for Pakistan in expanding its presence in Saudi Arabia,” the KCCI said.
Farooq noted that the there would be “abundant opportunities” in Saudi Arabia’s construction, information technology, health care and hotels & hospitality sectors in the next two years.
He stressed the need for Pakistan to impart skills to its workforce so that they can secure employment in the Kingdom.
“If we do not claim our share immediately, it will be taken by competitors but to achieve this, Pakistan needs to focus on improving its workforce by imparting training as per Saudi requirements.”
The Pakistani envoy stressed that Saudi Arabia aims to become a regional IT hub, creating a substantial demand for human resources and expertise.
He said this presented Pakistan’s IT companies a “significant opportunity” to provide services and products to the rapidly growing sector.
Farooq said Saudi Arabia will host four major international events in the next decade, namely the Asian Football Cup in 2027, the Asian Winter Games in 2029, the World Expo in Riyadh in 2030, and the FIFA World Cup in 2034.
“To support these events, Saudi Arabia is investing heavily in infrastructure, including the construction of 250 new hotels,” Farooq said.
“This expansion creates opportunities for Pakistan’s home textile industry, food exports, and trained workforce in hospitality and housekeeping.”
He said mega construction projects in Saudi Arabia, such as Neom City, also presented opportunities for Pakistani contractors.
“Companies from around the world are securing lucrative contracts, and Pakistan must also seize this opportunity,” Farooq said.
Pakistan appreciates EU for GSP Plus status after passing controversial cybercrime law
- Foreign Minister Ishaq Dar meets EU Special Representative for Human Rights Ambassador Olaf Skoog in Islamabad
- Pakistani rights activists say government’s new cybercrime law is aimed at cracking on dissent on social media
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s Deputy Prime Minister Ishaq Dar on Wednesday met a senior European Union official to thank the inter-governmental body for its support for Pakistan’s GSP Plus status, hours after it passed a controversial cybercrime law that rights bodies and journalists allege is aimed at suppressing freedom of expression online.
The GSP Plus status gives developing countries such as Pakistan a special incentive to pursue sustainable development and good governance. Countries have to implement 27 international conventions on human rights, labor rights, the environment and good governance in return for the EU to cut its import duties to zero on more than two-thirds of the tariff lines of their exports. In October 2023, the EU rolled over the current GSP Plus status for developing countries, including Pakistan, till 2027.
Pakistan’s digital rights experts, however, have raised concern that the government’s action of adopting the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Amendment Bill, 2025, which opposition and journalists say is aimed at taking action against dissent on social media platforms, can put Pakistan’s GSP Plus status in danger.
Dar, who also serves as Pakistan’s foreign minister, met EU Special Representative for Human Rights Ambassador Olaf Skoog at the foreign ministry’s office on Wednesday.
“The DPM/FM highlighted Pakistan-EU’s growing cooperation in the political and economic spheres and appreciated EU’s continued support for Pakistan’s GSP plus status,” the ministry said.
Dar underscored the importance of Pakistan-EU dialogue on human rights, emphasizing that Islamabad was a firm believer in the protection of fundamental rights. He said the Pakistani government continued to enact and strengthen human rights legislation.
The ministry said Skoog “positively” assessed the potential of Pakistan-EU relations and appreciated the continued growth of collaborative partnership across all sectors.
“The EU SR is on a four-day visit to Pakistan,” the ministry said. “The visit is part of Pakistan-EU joint efforts to enhance dialogue on Human Rights.”
Pakistan’s President Asif Ali Zardari on Wednesday signed the bill into law after it was approved by both houses of Pakistan’s parliament following noisy protests by journalists and lawmakers.
The new amendment bill now proposes the establishment of the Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority to perform a range of functions related to social media, including awareness, training, regulation, enlistment and blocking.
SMPRA would be able to order the immediate blocking of unlawful content targeting judges, the armed forces, parliament or provincial assemblies or material which promotes and encourages terrorism and other forms of violence against the state or its institutions.
The law also makes spreading disinformation a criminal offense punishable by three years in prison and a fine of two million rupees ($7,150).
A copy of the bill seen by Arab News has set imprisonment of up to three years and a fine of Rs2 million or both for “whoever intentionally disseminates, publicly exhibits, or transmits any information through any information system, that he knows or has reason to believe to be false or fake and likely to cause or create a sense of fear, panic or disorder or unrest in general public or society.”
Information Minister Ataullah Tarar told reporters last week that the bill will protect journalists and not harm them.
“This is the first time the government has defined what social media is,” Tarar said. “There is already a system in place for print and electronic media and complaints can be registered against them.”
He said “working journalists” should not feel threatened by the bill, which had to be passed because the Federal Investigation Agency, previously responsible for handling cybercrime, “does not have the capacity to handle child pornography or AI deep fake cases.”
Saudi Fund for Development reviews agriculture, medical projects in northwest Pakistan
- Projects include agricultural institute, veterinary and thalassemia centers and children’s hospital in Malakand
- Visiting delegation expresses satisfaction with ongoing progress, directs timely completion of all projects
PESHAWAR: A Saudi Fund for Development (SFD) delegation visited Pakistan’s northwestern Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province on Wednesday to review their ongoing agriculture, medical and educational projects in the area, the KP government’s disaster management authority said.
KP’s Malakand Division is known for its picturesque Swat Valley and popular tourist destinations. It has navigated a turbulent path due to militancy and conflict in recent years, coupled with the devastating effects of natural disasters like floods.
The SFD has provided financial assistance to Pakistan and funded development projects in various parts of the country. It has already done significant work to rehabilitate infrastructure in Malakand to improve people’s access to socioeconomic services and civic amenities.
“Today a Saudi delegation led by Director of Central Asia Operations Muhammed Almasoud visited Swat and reviewed three key ongoing projects,” the Provincial Disaster Management Authority (PDMA) KP said in a statement.
“The Saudi delegation expressed deep satisfaction with the construction work and instructed the timely completion of the projects.”
These projects include an Agriculture Research Institute, a Veterinary Research Center, a Category D Hospital, a Thalassemia Center in Battagram, and a Special Children’s School in Swat with a total cost of approximately $4.6 million, the statement said.
“Additionally, the construction of the 82-kilometer road from Chakdara to Fatehpur has been completed at a cost of Rs3.4 billion [$12.2 million] which is a significant development milestone for the area,” the KP PDMA said.
Pakistan has sought closer economic cooperation with Saudi Arabia in recent months, with Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif publicly stating his desire to collaborate with the Kingdom in trade, defense, economy, agriculture, tourism, energy, mining and minerals.
In October last year, businesses in Pakistan and Saudi Arabia signed several agreements to the tune of $2.8 billion to promote bilateral trade and investment with each other.
Last year in April, the Kingdom also pledged to expedite a $5 billion investment portfolio for Islamabad, further boosting foreign investment prospects in the country.
Police in Pakistan’s Quetta book man for killing daughter over alleged blasphemy, posting TikTok videos
- Anwaar-ul-Haq, a resident of New York, brought his family to Quetta this month to meet relatives, say police
- Merely accusations of blasphemy and opposition to its laws can incite violent mob attacks and reprisals
QUETTA: Police in Pakistan’s southwestern Balochistan province said on Wednesday they had booked a man for killing his 14-year-old daughter, an American citizen, on allegations she had committed blasphemy and posted objectionable videos of herself on TikTok.
Anwaar-ul-Haq, who was living in New York for the past 28 years, returned with his family to the southwestern Quetta city on Jan. 22 to meet relatives in the city, Station House Officer (SHO) Babar Shahwani of the Gawalmandi Police Station said.
Shahwani said Haq filed a complaint with police on Jan. 27 that unidentified men shot his daughter dead outside their home in Quetta at around 11:00 pm.
“The police commenced initial investigations from the family and we booked her father and uncle who during interrogations confessed to killing Hira,” Shahwani told Arab News.
Zohaib Mohsin, senior Superintendent of Police (SSP) for Serious Crimes Investigation Wing Balochistan, told Arab News that Haq brought his daughter outside their home when his brother-in-law, Muhammad Tayyab, shot her multiple times.
“We have confiscated Hira’s mobile phone and sent for forensic which would unfold more aspects of the murder,” Mohsin said.
Shahwani said Haq confessed during interrogation that he killed his daughter and alleged that she stopped believing in Islam and used to make blasphemous remarks, and posted objectionable videos of herself on TikTok.
Under Pakistan’s blasphemy laws, anyone found guilty of insulting Islam or its religious figures can be sentenced to death. Authorities have yet to carry out such a penalty, although the accusation of blasphemy and opposition to the law can incite mob violence or reprisals.
Mohsin said the investigation so far has revealed that the family objected to Hira’s dressing, lifestyle, social gatherings and relations.
Arab News attempted to contact Hira’s family but they refused to speak to the media.
Every year, hundreds of women in conservative Pakistan are victims of “honor killings,” carried out by relatives professing to be acting in defense of a family’s honor, rights group say, most often in deeply conservative rural areas.
According to an annual report on women’s honor killings in Balochistan issued by the Aurat Foundation (AF), a private group advocating for women’s rights and voicing against the honor killings of women in the impoverished province, 33 women were killed in Balochistan on the name of honor from January to December 2024.
The report also said 212 women were killed in Balochistan in the name of honor during the last five years.
