Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi on Thursday chaired the inaugural meeting of the Task Force on the Gandhara – Cradle of Buddhism (GCOB) Strategy, constituted with the approval of the Prime Minister to promote Pakistan's rich Gandhara heritage and strengthen cultural tourism.
The meeting was attended by the Secretary National Heritage and Culture Division, representatives of the Ministries of Religious Affairs & Interfaith Harmony, Foreign Affairs and Interior, Managing PTDC, provincial secretaries/Officials of Culture and Heritage, Director General Department of Archaeology and Museums, Coordinator Mr. Imran Shaukat and other members of the Task Force.
The meeting deliberated on a comprehensive roadmap for implementing the GCOB Strategy aimed at projecting Pakistan as the guardian and custodian of the Gandhara civilisation and one of the world's foremost destinations for Buddhist heritage sites.
Addressing the meeting, Federal Minister Aurangzeb Khan Khichi said that Prime Minister of Pakistan has taken a special interest in the preservation and promotion of the Gandhara heritage. He said the inaugural meeting of the Task Force had been convened on the Prime Minister's directives and informed participants that the Prime Minister would personally review the monthly progress of the Gandhara Strategy.
The Minister urged all federal and provincial stakeholders to demonstrate their best performance and work collectively to successfully accomplish the objectives of the initiative. He particularly called upon the representatives of Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, the heartland of the Gandhara civilisation, to continue extending their full cooperation, and thanked them for their cooperation they had done in the past, for the promotion and preservation of Gandhara heritage.
Aurangzeb Khan Khichi underlined the need to establish specialised task forces for various aspects of the preservation and promotion of the Gandhara civilisation. He said Pakistan must effectively communicate to the international community that it is the true guardian and custodian of the Gandhara civilisation. He also directed the representatives of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony to complete their assigned work, noting that several components of the strategy would be developed in light of their recommendations. He instructed all stakeholders to complete their respective assignments before the next meeting.
Coordinator of the Gandhara Task Force, Mr. Imran Shaukat, informed the meeting that he had been working on the Gandhara Project for nearly eight years. He said the objective of promoting Gandhara was not only to preserve this great civilisation but also to inform the world that Pakistan is its rightful custodian. He stated that the Federal Government, as the policy-making authority, should guide the provinces and facilitate the mobilisation of resources.
Mr. Shaukat highlighted the growing interest among Buddhist monks from countries including Canada, Sri Lanka, Australia and Vietnam in visiting Pakistan and stressed the need to provide appropriate facilities for them. He also proposed the preparation of a Buddhist religious calendar to help identify significant religious occasions so that arrangements could be made accordingly. He observed that Buddhist countries were capable of bringing substantial investment for the project themselves and would not necessarily require financial assistance from Pakistan.
Representatives of the provinces presented their respective proposals during the meeting. Officials from Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, in particular, identified important Buddhist heritage sites and briefed participants on the ongoing development work at those locations. The Secretary of Archaeology and Tourism, Punjab, requested that the historic Mankiala Stupa also be included among the officially promoted Buddhist heritage sites to encourage monks and pilgrims to visit the monument. He also emphasised the importance of cultural diplomacy as a means of promoting Gandhara internationally and expressed Punjab's willingness to host events related to the initiative.
The representative of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assured the meeting of the provincial government's full cooperation and highlighted ongoing efforts to preserve and promote Gandhara heritage within the province.
The representative of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs stressed the need for a comprehensive facilitation package for international Buddhist pilgrims and visitors. He said the Ministry would effectively promote whatever high-quality heritage products were developed by the stakeholders. He also pointed out the need for additional hotel facilities in Islamabad to accommodate visitors associated with Buddhist archaeological sites.
The representative of Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) observed that, given Islamabad International Airport's proximity to Taxila, hotel infrastructure could be developed in the surrounding areas. He also stressed the importance of engaging tour operators to ensure professional management and promotion of Buddhist civilization.
The representative of the Ministry of Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony said the promotion of the Gandhara civilisation would be pursued under the framework of interfaith harmony. He suggested that the initiative could draw inspiration from the successful model of the Kartarpur Corridor developed for Sikh pilgrims.
Secretary National Heritage and Culture Division, Asad Rehman Gilani, carefully reviewed all proposals presented during the meeting and assured participants that the Ministry would expedite implementation of the assigned tasks in accordance with the directions of the Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture.
