Is Pakistan leaning on Minority Community Tourism to beat its Economic Woes?
Rashmi Talwar
DATELINE AMRITSAR 25th November 2023-
Noshaba Shehzad Exclusive Interview
Pakistan recently launched an Online Booking Portal for Sikhs. Religious Tourism was a golden chance that Pakistan hardly looked at other than the designated sites via protocol between the two neighbouring and estranged countries. But a woman amidst restrictive lines of religion and patriarchy Noshaba Shehzad not only took notice of this precious Tiara studded with gems of historicity of minority religious shrines but fine-tuned it from Government-planned poor man’s pilgrimage to luxury tourism for all kinds of Traveller and pilgrim pockets. She thus strode tall as the First and Only Woman Travel facilitator for Sikh & Heritage Tourism of Pakistan. Noshaba from Lahore Pakistan traced her path-breaking journey in a talk with Senior Journalist RASHMI TALWAR from AMRITSAR.
Q Noshaba, as a Muslim woman what gave you the courage to break the glass ceiling, and enter an un-trodden path by any woman in Pakistan to frame a niche pilgrimage and heritage tourism for members of the minority communities, as first woman ‘tourism operator’?
Ans: This wasn’t easy; it was just the right timing that flew the winds in my favour. I was already bestowed with the title of Pioneer Woman of Pakistan in International Business dealing with the export of agricultural products. I thus became the only woman in the Pak International Trade Delegations who accompanied the Prime Minister to other countries. It wasn’t that I was included like a ‘trophy’ businesswoman to show off the inclusion of a female, I was a value-added businesswoman in a rock-solid export field. When Pakistan PM Imran Khan, a former Cricket Captain, focussed on the long-term demand of India for a ‘visa-free’ corridor to Kartarpur Sahib, after his commitment to fellow Indian Cricketer Navjot Singh Sidhu, then MP from Indian Punjab, he urged me to look at Tour operations for Sikh community. This suggestion coming from the PM was also supported by my family, especially my husband. With tremendous amounts of effort in a man’s field, I became the first woman Tour operator with niche tourism in Religious and Punjab Heritage Tourism which no man in Pakistan had done before. I was fascinated by our ancestral home at Talagang near Islamabad where rich Hindus and Sikh families once lived. The area was thus sprinkled with buildings belonging to Hindu and Sikh communities. One lane was named Gali Sethian (the Rich) of wealthy Hindus. Surrounded by this heritage, I drew upon my agricultural background to locate places of heritage value. Alongside as an agricultural expert check-listing cash crops for export to various countries from lush field produce from lands in Pakistan’s rural belt, I was already familiar and grounded in the vast lands that still held the remnants of the rich architectural past that formed into stories that my grandmother told me of pre-partition times to lull me to sleep and I felt, it was providential. –“That Agricultural and architectural Heritage have a great connection!” That’s how my beautiful Heritage buildings and grandmother’s stories gave me a new track to walk on.
Q. Why did you choose to be a Tour Operator for minority heritage and shrines, what was your attraction for a non-Muslim community?
Ans: “As a kid I felt a deep and hidden vibrancy of multi-cultural living of yore, emerging from our agricultural lands. It was no coincidence that we lived in a house owned by a rich Hindu family post-Indo-Pak Partition. I grew up listening to stories from My father Malik M Siddique Alvi and my grandmother about collective living from all religious backgrounds and respecting each other’s identities and sensitivities. My father too was exceptional and open-minded, he was the first in these parts to complete Electronic Engineering in 1957 from the USA. One day he had to break the news of the death of a colleague to his bereaved wife and parents, and so went to his village. The news of the death of a husband didn’t register at all with his wife who didn’t even know her husband’s name and was unaffected by the news, like an innocent child. She felt nothing around and roamed around quite unaware of her future. That incident struck my father to the core and he laid great store in the education of his three daughters. This led to each of us studying up to university levels and rising up to higher education abroad.
All three of us rose in a life enriched by the liberal mind of a father, and I ascended as a businesswoman, my sister is a doctor and another sister is a lawyer cum engineer.
Q How do all the accolades of being the first woman walking a unique path sit with you? You won several awards, any award that really makes you proud?
ANS: Yes I am the first woman agricultural exporter, first woman trade expert, and business entrepreneur. And yes I am humbled by the FOA (Food and Agriculture Organisation) Award bestowed upon me by the United Nations with an International focus on ‘Beating world Hunger’. My father actually encouraged me to take on the reins of Agriculture. Today I export citrus, mangoes, Potatoes, Maize, pulses, Himalayan Salt, a complete range from industrial salt to edible salt, spa range, carved items, and others. It feels as if I am fulfilling my father’s dream of being an empowered daughter. My sister as an International lawyer takes care of the logistics of international Business.
Q. Perhaps the Pakistani government took a leaf out of your recipe book of Tourism and spread its arms to launch the first-ever Online Portal for Sikh Heritage is it true? Describe your interest and format on Heritage Tours
The government of Pakistan’s gesture of opening its arms to Tourism for Heritage and Minorities areas is a huge step forward in improving relations with other countries, especially India, and also spells economic growth for Pakistan. My special area of interest and Tourism thrust is heritage, history, and religious tourism, which demands time, effort, and historical verification every step of the way. It has been difficult as things are not documented; records are absent so have taken the initiative to record history and format it, but all the same a very fulfilling and joyous journey of mine to unravel the stories of yesteryears. I also went to the US and Canada based on the information and historical facts that we collected to attract religious Tourism to our country. I delivered lectures on the Tourism of Minorities.
Hindus have a massive and unexplored heritage. Sindh, Lahore surroundings for example, Khushab, and Kesar valley, are some unexplored places of heritage. World’s greatest migration took place in 1947 between India and Pakistan and those tangible remnants of people who left are still surviving even after 76 years. I have uniquely formatted my Tour in sites with unique programs, itinerary, and design that connects them with more stories and places of heritage importance. I want this history to pop out of books into the open and be witnessed. When visitation becomes regular and frequent to these places the government too will wake up to their potential and help with their preservation and conservation, also accrue commercial benefits to the country. I broad-based my work through,-‘The Lahore Chamber of Commerce’, besides writing about them as an authorized operator by the government.
We have consultant historians attached for example for the history of Jhelum; I consult Khalid Sarwar, a historian attached to the government, and historian Mirza Beg. I explore and research from other sources to authenticate these histories in consultation with freelance historian Imran William attached with us. This is my favorite baby in my vast field of work. I learn a lot from historians examining bricks, building materials, design, and usage, it is the most interesting field I could have ever asked for from my Upparwala.
Alongside we enjoin a cultural treat in the evenings giving employment to artists of that area. In some packages, we arrange a meeting with the village’s elder or Wadera or Jirga head, familiar with the area of interest.
Q Can you familiarize us with some heritage buildings in Pakistan?
ANS: As per Sikh Heritage 345 Gurdwaras exist, 135 are historical while 25-26 are functional. Pakistan has 6 UNESCO sites of minority community heritage including Taxila, Takht-i-Bahi Buddhist Monastery, Dharmarajka Stupa, and Monastery. Katas Raj is world famous Hindu site in Pakistan and Smadhi Atma Ram ji has recently been highlighted in Gujranwala. There are countless Mandirs in every city, we can’t even count them. All are historical and unexplored.
Q. Did Kartarpur Sahib move the wheels in the direction of Minority Heritage Tourism?
ANS: Earlier Katarpur Sahib Initiative brought a massive change, there were people-to-people interactions, misunderstandings, and fears came to rest. There were closures to the pain of separation and loss for several separated families that met from either side of the Radcliff line at this Gurdwara.
Kartarpur sahib boosted not only Sikh Tourism but also made space for Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist tourism as well, in Pakistan. More ways are being tracked for these communities. After the forthcoming Gurpurb, my focus will turn to Jain, Buddhist, and Hindu heritage and tourism.
I have been working on those tracks for years, Jain living in Dubai. Plus, Buddhists and Hindus are far more than the Sikh population that comes for pilgrimage and tourism. Just like Sikh tourism for which I have worked on their history, itinerary, plans, lesser-known places, details, and Heritage, they want me to format the same way for their communities. What is of utmost interest is that my package offers to facilitate their travel including assisting in granting visas to various areas of Heritage and Tourist interest. As you already know visa is an issue, especially for Indians as per the current situation prevalent in both countries. I get feelers especially from Dubai by the Jain community in Dubai, who wish to visit many of their sites that are in Pakistan.
Q You have helped many partition victims from India to visit their ancestral homes, is it true?
ANS: To help victims of partition to revisit their memories gives me immense pleasure. It is greatly fulfilling and you say –‘good karma’. Recently it was 90 yr Reena Chibber Varma who visited her ancestral home in Rawalpindi after 75 years and was helped by India Pakistan Heritage Club members that number thousands and also by me, it is my life’s mission to help Indians who had fled Pakistan after Partition see their old homes. This interest developed from the painful stories of the Partition I hear from my father who died last November aged 90. He used to remember Shakuntala, his 16-year-old neighborhood friend, every day. When the exodus started, Shakuntala hid our family home for three days. She was found in our house. But our family could not keep her as it was illegal, and she was unwilling to leave. She had to be forcefully transported to a camp amid tears and cries from both sides. My father never forgot that. When I traveled abroad extensively to study agriculture in foreign universities, I made a lot of Indian friends, and most of them had painful memories to share. I have a special affinity for these crumbling bricks of fallen walls that speak to me of the sheer pain forced to leave their homes and hearth forever.
Q Were you invited for consultation when Pakistan started the Sikh Yatri portal?
ANS: No. We only came to know through the news; that no private stakeholders were invited for discussion only Sikh community representatives were taken on board.
Q India Pakistan Heritage Club is also at the forefront of bringing together lost families. Are they helpful to you?
ANS: India Pakistan Heritage Club on the popular social networking site Facebook was started by Imran Williams and Zahid Karmanwala of Pakistan and has more than 1.45 lakh members from both nations. The group has been deleted by Facebook three times and came up again and again with its loyal membership and more.
“Interacting in this group, I realized how desperately people longed to come to Pakistan. I also met a lot of pilgrims from India at the Kartarpur corridor. Many of them, particularly the older lot, cry and beg to be taken to their ancestors’ place from there. It’s all so traumatic,”
For some of the members I arranged and facilitated a tour with security to Kasur, Lahore, and Gujranwala
Q Any particular story of any recent family of victims coming to see their ancestral place?
ANS: There are many- Parag Sehgal, 41, of Chandigarh, went numb when he scratched a dusty portion of his ancestral Haveli’s outer wall in the year 2022 in Lahore’s Model Town area in ruins but fits the memory of his grandmother as she described it.
GS Batra from Amritsar an 88-year-old on his return from Pakistan called his visit a much-needed closure about his house in Tamman village, near a Gurdwara, a spring flowing along it. ‘My life’s final wish has been fulfilled. I met the son of my father’s best friend Hayat Khan who became a Pakistan minister in the 1960s and hosted lunch for me. Noshaba arranged everything,” he said. This is my ultimate fulfilling moment.
Q Time is running out for that first generation of displaced men and women, should India and Pakistan take a humanitarian stand once again and let them visit ‘Visaless’. What is your view?
ANS: Most of the first-generation migrants with memories of undivided India are above 80 and within these bitter relations visas are becoming nearly impossible. I feel both governments setting aside differences must step in before it’s too late to restart visa-less travel for senior citizens and on priority the partition victims. I vociferously raise my voice for visa-less travel for senior citizens and especially for those having homes on either side of the border. ‘They are in the twilight of their lives, give them their dreams as a parting gift’, I urge both governments.
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PART –II
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Pakistan launches Online Booking Portal for Sikhs, Takes cue from Private Travel operators
The first-ever “Booking Portal for Sikhs” was inaugurated by Pakistan Punjab’s caretaker Chief Minister Mohsin Naqvi. This, especially for those on pilgrimage to Nankana Sahib and other sacred Gurdwaras was being seen by Indian experts as a positive step towards building up a failing economy of Pakistan through legit means and using its precious heritage assets to attract worldwide tourism.
“It’s a groundbreaking religious Tourism program designed to facilitate Sikh pilgrims” announced the caretaker Chief Minister of Punjab in Lahore Pakistan. The portal will facilitate hotel bookings and security services portal for Sikhs from India and the globe, during pilgrimage to their heritage and holy sites sprinkled across Pakistan.
The first religious tourism program was launched to promote interfaith harmony. Through this portal, Sikhs from around the world can make hotel bookings, as well as hiring security services, arrange transportation, and make their pilgrimage planning more efficient. Also, the privilege of a VIP status, during their visit when booked through the government-launched Portal. This will ensure a seamless obstacle-free experience, alongside, an additional facility of a friendly Tourism police at hand to extend support during any difficulty.
CM Punjab Mohsin Naqvi stated that Sikh pilgrims will receive warm hospitality and the inclusion of security services ensures a safe and secure journey and would be accorded a VIP status for a fulfilling and memorable experience during their tour to Pakistan. He added, that there would be provided the facility of a friendly tourism police, for support.
Dr Mimpal Singh – a member of the Parbandhak Committee – expressed gratitude for the establishment of the Sikh Yatra Booking Portal and lauded CM Naqvi’s efforts in this initiative.
Dr Mimpal, is the distinguished first ‘Sikh’ to become a doctor in Pakistan, a pediatrics specialty; the owner of “Sardar Ji Child Health Care Clinic” and Assistant Prof in Specialized Healthcare and Medical Education Department, Punjab Pakistan. He is also a member of Pakistan Sikh Gurdwara Prabandhak Committee PSGPC.
While welcoming the facility wholeheartedly, he said-“According to India Pakistan agreed Protocol, Sikhs and Hindus visit Religious Shrines in Pakistan, and Muslims visit their shrines in India. Sikhs are allowed four visits a year. With the inauguration of this portal, the Sikh pilgrimage would become more convenient for our community. The pilgrims will cherish their visits to Pakistan and return as goodwill ambassadors.,” Dr Mimpal while acknowledging the proactive approach and the online portal as a significant step towards strengthening cultural ties and promoting religious tourism in Pakistan”, said.
Saifullah Khokhar Deputy Secretary of Administration Kartarpur Sahib Gurdwara Pakistan while talking to this writer from Narowal said the Pilgrimage Portal doesn’t apply today to pilgrims from India as no visa is required and only a permit is required for this Yatra that commenced in year 2019. But for those coming on a full-fledged pilgrimage or tour of religious and heritage sites which includes Kartarpur Sahib, the Government of Pakistan has recently made massive arrangements for nearly 2500 pilgrims at a time. This facility was created since the area possesses no worthwhile private accommodation for stay. On the land belonging to the Gurdwara, as many as 20 large halls were built for accommodation and a 40-bedded VIP space is also provided.
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No new passports for Pakistanis
Incidentally, while Pakistan is going all out to woo the Sikh community and looking at Tourism in a wider perspective for worldwide attraction, in their own country, Pakistani citizens are having great difficulty in obtaining new passports.
Regrettably, it is a minor issue that has become monumental with the country running short on lamination papers that are imported from France. The Pak government, thus records a backlog of around seven lakh unprinted passports, putting Pakistanis’ dreams of traveling abroad at a standstill. Pakistan’s Passport offices continue to receive applications, according to Express Tribune, despite having been warned that they will be unable to deliver the documents on time due to a shortage of lamination papers.
Many a dream of studying abroad Pak students who qualified seem to be on hold. Moreover travel for business, tourism, families, and friends reuniting all are stalled.
On the other hand, the applications filed by the citizens for new passport has increased significantly. As per ‘Daily Pakistan’ the figure received by the Department of Passport is at 20,000 to 30,000 passport applications per day. Currently, the figure looms at 40,000 daily, despite applicants being warned by the Directorate General of Immigration and Passports of their inability to deliver the documents on time due to a shortage of lamination papers.
The prime reason for the spike in the number of applicants is the economic woes being faced by Pak youth forcing them to seek study and consequently migrate for better job opportunities abroad.‘Times of Karachi’, reports a backlog of seven lakh unprinted passports pending and has no clue when the pendency will improve. Back in the year 2013, passport printing in Pakistan took a similar hit due to the department owing money to printers and thus a fall in adequate lamination papers.
When asked about DGI&P’s inefficiency, Qadir Yar Tiwana, Director General for Media of the Ministry of Interior, the parent ministry of DGI&P, is known to have said, “The situation will soon be under control.” According to a senior officer of the passport office in Peshawar, they can currently only process 12 to 13 passports each day, compared to 3,000 to 4,000 earlier, and they have no clue when the pendency would be improved.
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