PESHAWAR, Pakistan: A total of Rs360.87 million was spent on arranging tourism festivals in parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa last year, the provincial assembly was told on Friday.
In her question during the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly session in Peshawar on Friday, the Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz’s (PML-N) lawmaker Amna Sardar drew the attention of the House towards expenditures incurred from time to time on holding various tourism festivals in the province.
The House was told that more than Rs280 million was spent only on holding Khanpur Festival held at the Khanpur Dam on February 21-23, 2014 and Shandur Festival held in Chitral on June 19-21, 2014 while the remaining amount was spent on Gor Ghutree Art and Craft Festival held in Peshawar on May 3-4, 2014.
Amna Sardar said that Rs500,000 was spent on Jashn e Hazara held on May 14, 2014 and Rs800,000 on Broghul festival held on August 22-24, 2014.
In reply to another question by Amna Sardar, the House was informed that Rs15 million annual grant was allocated for the welfare of the sportsmen in 2013-14 but the amount could not be utilized due to differences among the sports associations and as such the amount was returned to the provincial kitty.
However, Rs15 million was also allocated in ADP of the same year for arranging sports events in the province which were spent on inter zonal male and female school level football, athletics, cricket, hockey and volley ball events. The House was informed that Rs3.67 million was spent on holding skiing competition in Malam Jabba Swat during 2014.
The House was further informed that Rs12.290 million was spent under 17 Imran Khan talent hunt scheme as cricket trials and selection of the talented players were conducted throughout the province. It was further told that Rs1.5 million was spent on publicity of the Imran Khan Talent Hunt Scheme. In these trials, over 6000 players had participated.
