RAWALPINDI: The Rawalpindi City will soon see a facelift and a comprehensive plan has been developed to preserve, beautify and reinvigorate the historic city of Rawalpindi. The Punjab government has already notified the task force for the revival of Rawalpindi city with the title of ‘Glorious Rawalpindi’ comprising 11 members. It will be an honor and respect that the Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (RCCI) has been chosen as member of the said Task Force.
This was stated by President RCCI Malik Shahid Saleem after attending a briefing by Commissioner Jodat Ayaz at Commissioner House Rawalpindi here on Thursday. The briefing was attended by Deputy Commissioner Ali Randhawa, Arif Raheem, Chairman Rawalpindi Development Authority (RDA), Asif Mahmood, Chairman, Parks and Horticulture Authority (PHA), Sibtain Raza, executive officer Cantonment Board, among others, former Presidents RCCI Sohail Altaf, Asad Mashhadi and Senior Vice President Muhammad Badar Haroon.
Providing details of the briefing, RCCI President Malik Shahid Saleem informed that all stakeholders are on one page with respect to the revival and beautification of the city and all have shown commitment to put their join efforts to make the city, a tourist hub.
He said that RCCI already had signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) with PHA, an initiative to revive and revitalize the glory of Rawalpindi by renovating, reviving and preserving its historical buildings, bazaars, walls and sites.
He said that Commissioner Jodat Ayaz appreciated RCCI active and leading role for the revival of the city. It is our collective responsibility to make the city clean and good looking for non-residents of the city including tourists, he further added. He said that RCCI during a detail presentation, also suggested and recommended ways and means to address traffic congestion, encroachment, waste management, new spots for food streets, relocation of whole sale markets, beautification plan under new Lai Express Way and also proposed new ideas at entry and exit points of the city.
Malik Shahid Saleem said that Rawalpindi city has a rich history but unfortunately the concerned authorities have never made any efforts to secure it. Construction without a plan has made this city congested and hard to live in. Rawalpindi can become an attractive tourist city, especially for Buddhist countries if the historical buildings are renovated and properly maintained.
Through concrete and collective efforts, we can make Rawalpindi a hub for tourism since it was ideally located at the gateway to Punjab, Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P), Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (G-B), RCCI chief added.
