SHAHRISABZ (Uzbekistan) Apr 30 (APP): Dr Saad S. Khan, President of the ECO Cultural Institute (ECI) on Tuesday said the Pakistan should come forward to play a proactive role in Economic Cooperation Organisation (ECO) with an aim to promote tourism industry.
At the special ceremony held to mark the Shahrisabz, Uzbekistan as the ECO Tourism Capital for 2024 by UNESCO, ECI President visited the stalls of all ECO countries as the special guest of the host government.
Talking to APP, he spoke high of the cultural diversity of the ECO region, especially of Pakistan, under the initiative of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation(PTDC).
He acknowledged the request by the Government of Pakistan to declare the city of Lahore as the ECO Tourism Capital for the year 2026 and said that member states of the ECO would shortly take a decision in this regard.
The celebrations at Shahresabz did raise the bar for any other ECO nation for the quality and diversity of festivities that the Uzbekistan government had arranged for this event , he added.
He was optimistic that Pakistan would play a proactive role in the ECO, being one of three founding nations of the institution.
The ECI President said that of the nearly 550 million population of the ten member states of the ECO, almost 250 million which was a little less than half, live in Pakistan.Thus, as the largest ECO state population-wise Pakistan has an onus to play a lead role.
Saad Khan hoped that in case title of ECO tourism capital was awarded for Lahore in the next two or three years, Pakistan would eventually make a huge impression by showcasing its rich culture and diversity to mark that event.
ECI President however opined that big cities like Karachi, Lahore, Peshawar etc were known in the world, hence designating a smaller city as the tourism capital might help in introducing a less known Pakistani city on the tourist destination map of the world and the region.
