Sindh is home to 12 museums equipped with facilities for tourists and visitors, Culture Minister Syed Zulfiqar Ali Shah informed the provincial assembly on Tuesday.
He said the World Bank president recently visited Mohenjo-daro, underscoring its global significance.
Responding to written and supplementary questions during the culture & tourism department’s question hour, Shah told Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan (MQM-P) lawmaker Fauzia Hameed that since her party is part of the federal government, it should facilitate the Mohenjo-daro Airport’s reopening to further promote tourism.
He also invited opposition members to visit the historic site at their convenience, assuring his full support. He said his department has organised trips to Tharparkar via a desert train as well as to Mohenjo-daro.
He pointed out that if the federal government, of which the MQM-P is a part, decides to reduce train fares, tourism can benefit further. Jamaat-e-Islami legislator Muhammad Farooq said that there is no museum in Karachi, and suggested declaring the entire city a museum. Shah said the Centre has taken control of the Sindh Museum, but a letter has been written to reclaim it. Several museums exist in and around Karachi, he added.
Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) lawmaker Shabbir Qureshi asked about the number of libraries in Karachi. Shah said that numerous libraries already exist, and more can be established if land is provided. The existing libraries are not in a dilapidated condition, while many have been digitised, he added.
PTI legislator Sajjad Soomro asked about mobile camps and tour guide mechanisms in Sindh. Shah confirmed the availability of tour guides, saying that online payments are deposited into the Sindh Tourism Development Corporation account, with an online booking facility also in place.
He also said that since assuming the chairmanship of the Gorakh Hill Authority, not a single rupee has been spent by the authority, despite an annual grant of Rs250 million. During the PA session, MQM-P lawmaker Mahesh Kumar Hasija commended Education Minister Sardar Shah for including books for Hindu students in the curriculum, and proposed adding content for Christians as well, along with improved teacher training.
Shah said Sindh has advocated for provincial autonomy in curriculum development, and has emphasised the inclusion of content for non-Muslim students. He said that similar measures have now been adopted in other provinces. The curriculum wing has held meetings on the matter, and Christian education is already being imparted at private schools, he added.
He also said Punjab has an existing curriculum for Christian students, and Sindh is currently considering whether to adopt it or develop its own. He also highlighted the presence of a significant number of Christian and Hindu teachers, stressing that private schools are bound to follow the provincial curriculum.
