President Musharraf for ‘drastic change’ in Pakistan’s image

Friday, September 29th, 2006

New Delhi, Sep 28 (IANS) Pakistan President Pervez Musharraf, fully aware of his country’s “grim reputation for terrorism,” has called for a “drastic change” in the image of Pakistan and asked the media to join him in promoting the “soft image of a culturally rich, inviting and economically vibrant country.”

“It is unfortunate that Pakistan’s image abroad has been tarnished so badly that the world associates it only with terrorism and extremism,” says Musharraf in his recently published “In The Line of Fire: A Memoir.”

“Our grim reputation for terrorism and the many travel advisories against us hinder tourism,” he says.

Asking the world to look at the country he rules afresh, Musharraf waxes lyrical about “virgin coastline, picturesque mountains, dense forests and mighty rivers” of Pakistan and invites the world to soak in “rich and distinct cultures” of Pakistan’s four provinces.

“Ironically, all this has remained the best-kept secret of Pakistan,” says Musharraf.

“Worse, the forces of religious extremism and obscurantism reject this cultural activity as being un-Islamic. No previous government had the courage to tell them that they were wrong,” says the Pakistani leader in his memoirs that sounds more like his campaign pitch for the elections next year.

In his bestselling book, that hit Indian bookstores Wednesday, Musharraf, who ousted democratically elected Nawaz Sharief in a military coup in 1999, also asserts that contrary to popular perception Pakistan is predominantly a moderate country, albeit one with a small fringe group of extremists.

But he rues that despite his diligent efforts to promote what he calls “a truer image of Pakistan” and its myriad achievements in the field of culture, sports and tourism the world has chosen to tar it with the brush of extremism.

“However much we plead that the vast majority of Pakistan is moderate and that only a fringe element is extremist - and that our national fabric has been damaged by the turbulence to our west in Afghanistan and to our east in Kashmir, not by anything inherent within our borders and society - the message does not get across,” says Musharraf, who has used his memoirs to promote him as a moderate leader of a moderate country seven months before elections in Pakistan.

Distancing the Pakistani state from acts of terrorism - a charge New Delhi has often hurled against Islamabad - Musharraf asserts that the fringe group of extremists in Pakistan are indoctrinated into terrorism by a combination of vested interests and socio-economic deprivation.

“I have therefore tried to project a truer image of Pakistan, which I call a soft image, through the promotion of tourism, sports and culture,” he says in self-congratulatory tone.

He exhorted the Pakistani media to help him sell the image of a new resurgent Pakistan - a “dynamic, progressive and moderate nation.” “We have to defeat terrorism and extremism, but at the same time must also present a culturally rich, inviting and economically vibrant alternative in its place. The media need to gear up to sell Pakistan abroad.”

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Pakistan conducive to all kinds of tourism: President, PM

Wednesday, September 27th, 2006

ISLAMABAD: President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz Tuesday said that Pakistan is proud to join the comity of nations in celebrating World Tourism Day with a renewed determination to earn its rightful place among the more attractive tourist destinations world-wide.

President General Pervez Musharraf and Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz on the ocassion of World Tourism Day falling on September 27 (today) in their separate messages have said that Pakistan is a destination for special interest tours and is conducive to all kinds of tourism.

President in his message has said that Pakistan is a land of much splendour. We care in the process of revitalising our tourism industry which until now has remained largely undiscovered.

President added that we can only move forward with public-private partnership. The private sector must come forward and play a leading role in the development of tourism industry and Government will provide all possible assistance as facilitator to these prospective investors from private sector.

On the other hand, PM said that Pakistan recognises tourism as an export industry in the services sector and its promotion is now a State policy with due commitment.

“We have recently taken decisions to promote Pakistan as a destination for international tourists. A tourist friendly visa policy is already in place and the next year has been designated as “Visit Pakistan” year”, PM maintained.

The Prime Minister added that the continuing positive state of our economy and improved investment climate have generated substantial inbound business travel, giving positive exposures to our tourist products and services.

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Pakistan to host world Budhist assembly next year, says Nilofer

Tuesday, September 26th, 2006

TOKYO: Federal Tourism Minister Nilofer Bakhtiar has said that Pakistan would host a World Buddhist Assembly next year and hoped that large number of Japanese tourists would also visit Pakistan on this occasion.

She stated this while talking to Chief Priest of the eight hundred years old temple Kenchoji, Rev. Roshi Shodo Yoshida on the occasion of Iftar Dinner hosted in the honour of the Minister for Tourism, Nilofer Bakhtiar and her delegation here the other day.

The Minister thanked the chief priest for observing the sanctity of ‘Ramadhan’ and hoped that such gestures would help in promoting inter-faith harmony in the world. She reiterated the invitation to Reverend Yoshida to visit Pakistan.

The ancient temple is located in a picturesque suburbs of Tokyo. A replica of the famous Fasting Buddha statue was presented to the temple in October last year.

The decision for the donation of this unique sacred gift was made by the Prime Minister of Pakistan Shaukat Aziz during his visit to Japan.

The Minister apprised the chief priest that Buddhist religious sites were well preserved in Pakistan. She said that Pakistan had been a cradle of many ancient civilizations. She described ‘Gandhara Civilization’, which flourished in the north of Pakistan two millennia ago and made its fascinating journey to Japan, was one of the most significant motifs in Pakistan’s historical mosaic.

Nilofer Bakhtiar stated that Pakistan would host a World Buddhist Assembly next year. Leader of the Assembly had recently visited Pakistan to tie up arrangements in this regard.

The chief priest thanked the government and people of Pakistan for gifting the rare sculpture to the temple.

Meanwhile, Federal Minister for Tourism Nilofer Bakhtiar held a meeting with the Chairman of Japan Association of Travel Agents (JATA), Koji Shinmachi at Tokyo.

The chairman agreed to send a team of JATA experts in the near future to Pakistan to make on ground evaluation of tourism facilities and potential.

Tourism Minister reiterated that ‘Pakistan is a peaceful country and its people are very hospitable’.

She added that ‘not a single tourist has ever been attacked in Pakistan.’ She informed the chairman that Pakistan would host a World Buddhist Assembly next year. She said that the Government of Pakistan had declared 2007 as ‘Year of Tourism’.

Baluchistan Tourism Minister, Syed Sher Jan Baloch, Ambassador Kamran Niaz, Secretary Culture, Mr. Jalil Abbas, president of JATA, Harumi Umeda, Secretary General of JATA, Jun Ishiyama, MD PTDC, and senior Pakistani officials attended the meetings.

Nilofer Bakhtiar said that the present government in Pakistan had worked out a comprehensive Tourism Policy to tap the tourism potential of the country.

“Growth in tourism would contribute towards socio-economic development particularly in the far-flung and under-developed areas”, she maintained.

The Minister added that duties on imports of hotel equipment and special concessions for the hotel industry would attract foreign investment in this sector.

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Snow Leopard Cub Settles into U.S. Home

Tuesday, September 26th, 2006

Global effort to conserve endangered wildlife hailed

By Judy Aita
Washington File Staff Writer

New York — Leo, the orphaned snow leopard cub from Pakistan, made his New York debut September 25, greeted by delighted officials from two continents who worked to save one of the world’s most endangered and beautiful mammals.

Leo’s new home is a quiet .4 hectare area — known as the Himalayan Highlands Habitat — at the end of a path through a bamboo grove in the 107-hectares Bronx Zoo.  But Leo’s tranquil retreat and the hushed voices of his greeters belie the size and complexity of his rescue, care, travel from Pakistan and temporary stay in the United States at one of the world’s greatest zoos.

Steven Sanderson, president of the Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) and its Bronx Zoo, said that the cub will be an inspiration to 2 million zoo visitors each year.

The beautiful snow leopard “is a symbol of shared values between our two countries, a sense of devotion to natural resources, and preservation of our heritage both cultural and biological,” Sanderson said at a small ceremony.

After WCS heard that Leo had been orphaned and could not be released into the wild because he would not have the opportunity to learn hunting and survival skills from his parent, the zoo was invited by the government of Pakistan to help, Sanderson said.

“We are uniquely situated to care for this wonderful animal because we were the first zoo in the world to show snow leopards over 100 years ago,” Sanderson said.  “Since 1903, we’ve had 90 snow leopard babies at the Bronx Zoo.  So rest assured Leo will have the best of care and a wonderful situation.”

Sehba Musharraf, the first lady of Pakistan, said Leo marks “the beginning of a new dimension” in the multifaceted U.S.-Pakistani relationship.

“Leo will return to Pakistan,” the first lady said.  But before he returns, Pakistan will develop a snow leopard conservation center for rehabilitation and breeding facilities for snow leopards with the support of the United Nations and in cooperation with the Bronx Zoo.

“I know Leo will meet new friends at the Bronx Zoo.  His presence is symbolic of the excellent cooperation between Pakistan and the United States and the enduring friendship and goodwill” between Pakistan and the United States, she said.

U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Oceans, Environment and Science Claudia McMurray called Leo’s arrival “an important success story in the global effort to conserve endangered wildlife.”

“Some might ask, is it important to bring an animal from the wild to live temporarily in a U.S. zoo?  Does this action actually help save the endangered snow leopard for future generations?  The answer to both of these questions is an overwhelming yes,” McMurray said.

Leo can educate thousands of visitors, both American and from other countries, about the plight of the snow leopard.  And, eventually, he will spread the same word among the Pakistani people, McMurray said.

The assistant secretary of state read a letter from U.S. first lady Laura Bush, who hailed the cub as an ambassador of friendship and education that can “teach all of us so much about how to save other endangered snow leopards and about our responsibilities as stewards of the earth.”

LEO NAPPED

Leo appeared unmoved by the event.  True to his species, he was shy and barely could be seen through the trees as he lounged on a boulder with his back to the visitors.  His pale gray fur with dark rosettes made him blend into his new home so well that only when he moved could he be seen near the top of a hill.

Leo’s new neighbors, two red pandas, seemed equally unimpressed by the distinguished visitors.  One slept in a tree; the other paced by a stream.  White-naped cranes, the endangered Asian birds bred successfully at the Bronx Zoo, reside in a marsh area across the path from Leo.

The snow leopard cub, now about 14 months old, was found by a goatherd in the Naltar Valley in the Karakorum Mountains of northern Pakistan.  After caring for the growing cub in their house, the herder and his family approached representatives of the World Wildlife Fund, which was working in the region, for help.  The cub then was moved to Gilgit where the Pakistani government took over its care. (See related article.)

A cooperative effort by Pakistan, the U.S. government and the WCS enabled a team of wildlife experts to travel to the remote valley and transport the animal by jeep to Islamabad.  Leo arrived in New York on August 9 aboard a British Airways plane after an officially arranged quick transfer through Heathrow Airport in London to minimize the effect of the summer heat.

Leo then underwent routine quarantine at the zoo’s Wildlife Health Center and an acclimation period in his new home among tall oaks, tulip trees, boulders and 12 other snow leopards before his official presentation September 25.

Snow leopards are among the world’s most endangered big cats.  An estimated 3,500 to 7,000 remain in the wild, restricted to remote mountains of Central Asia, according to zoo officials.  Pakistan has 200 to 400 snow leopards in the wild.

Snow leopards still are hunted for their pelts, in spite of the fact they are a protected species under the Convention on International Trade in Wild Fauna and Flora and are listed on the World Conservation Union Red List of Threatened Species as endangered.

Additional information is available on the WSC Web site.

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

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