Islamabad (Zahid Yaqoob Khawaja): A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) and M\u00f6venpick Hotel Centaurus Islamabad to promote tourism opportunities for overseas Pakistanis and strengthen their connection with Pakistan.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, Chief Executive Officer of Centaurus Group and M\u00f6venpick Hotel Centaurus Islamabad, National Coordinator\/Advisor to the Prime Minister on Tourism, said that the initiative aims to change the perception of overseas Pakistanis about their homeland by showcasing Pakistan\u2019s modern infrastructure, hospitality, tourism destinations and investment opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSardar Yasir said the Chairman of OPF has been doing exceptional work since assuming office, and the organisation is playing the role of a bridge between overseas Pakistanis and Pakistan.\u201d
He said many overseas Pakistanis, particularly from Mirpur, often question what they can do in Pakistan, adding that the objective is to convey the message that Pakistan has changed and now offers world-class facilities, brands, shopping malls, hotels and tourism experiences.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Underlining the potential of domestic tourism, Sardar Yasir said Pakistan offers diverse experiences ranging from adventure and religious tourism to medical and cultural tourism.
\u201cWe want overseas Pakistanis to visit Pakistan and experience destinations such as Khanpur, where we can provide helicopter services, while places like Mabali offer scuba diving and paragliding opportunities. We will take visitors to Swat and Fateh Jang, where they can enjoy tourism activities along with unique experiences such as hunting,\u201d he added.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said personalised one-month tourism plans would be developed for overseas Pakistanis and their families, offering experiences comparable to international destinations.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Sardar Yasir stressed that the initiative also focuses on encouraging overseas Pakistanis to invest in Pakistan by highlighting secure and attractive investment opportunities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cWe want overseas Pakistanis to invest in Pakistan and introduce Pakistani products as global brands in international markets,\u201d he said.Highlighting Pakistan\u2019s healthcare and hospitality sectors, he said medical facilities in Pakistan are available at significantly lower costs compared to many countries, while institutions such as Shifa International Hospitals and other leading healthcare providers offer advanced services, including home-based facilities.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said Pakistan provides excellent hospitality options, with high-quality hotels available at affordable rates, adding that the country\u2019s five- and seven-star hospitality sector competes with international standards.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\u201cSardar Yasir said Pakistan has everything from beaches and mountains to the unmatched beauty of the northern areas. The aim is to encourage overseas Pakistanis to choose Pakistan over foreign destinations for vacations, weddings and events, which would help improve the country\u2019s global image through tourism.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Addressing the ceremony, Syed Qamar Raza Shah, Chairman Overseas Pakistanis Foundation, appreciated Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan\u2019s vision and said his selection for promoting tourism was an excellent decision.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He said Sardar Yasir\u2019s efforts to attract overseas Pakistanis towards Pakistan were exemplary and aligned with OPF\u2019s objective of providing better facilities and strengthening the bond between overseas Pakistanis and their homeland.\u201cWe are planting a tree today whose roots will be extremely strong. When an overseas Pakistani organises an event such as a wedding in Pakistan, hundreds of people benefit as guests and families return to their homeland,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Syed Qamar Raza Shah said overseas Pakistanis have always played a vital role in Pakistan\u2019s economy through remittances, welfare initiatives and investments.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Referring to Pakistan\u2019s resilience, he said the nation has overcome major challenges through unity and determination, adding that Pakistan\u2019s leadership and institutions successfully defended the country against external aggression.\u201cOverseas Pakistanis send billions of dollars to Pakistan every year, and if these resources are channelled through proper means and invested effectively, they can play a transformative role in the country\u2019s economic development,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
He added that overseas Pakistanis have the potential to significantly contribute towards Pakistan\u2019s economic progress and reduce dependence on external financial support.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
The MoU between M\u00f6venpick Hotel Centaurus Islamabad and OPF aims to introduce customised tourism packages covering adventure tourism, religious tourism, medical tourism, cultural tourism and other experiences specifically designed for the Pakistani diaspora.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Islamabad (Zahid Yaqoob Khawaja): A Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) was signed between The Overseas Pakistanis Foundation (OPF) and M\u00f6venpick Hotel Centaurus Islamabad to promote tourism opportunities for overseas Pakistanis and strengthen their connection with Pakistan. Speaking at the MoU signing ceremony, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, Chief Executive Officer of Centaurus Group and M\u00f6venpick Hotel Centaurus<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8096,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[33,34,32,31],"tags":[],"class_list":{"0":"post-8091","1":"post","2":"type-post","3":"status-publish","4":"format-standard","5":"has-post-thumbnail","7":"category-business","8":"category-entertainment","9":"category-international","10":"category-national"},"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalnewspk.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8091","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalnewspk.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalnewspk.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalnewspk.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalnewspk.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=8091"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/capitalnewspk.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8091\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":8098,"href":"https:\/\/capitalnewspk.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/8091\/revisions\/8098"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalnewspk.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/8096"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/capitalnewspk.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=8091"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalnewspk.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=8091"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/capitalnewspk.pk\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=8091"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}