Multan: Equal Foundation Society Chairman Abid Hussain Bhatti on Monday urged the government
to issue free tourism cards to orphan-children, allowing them complimentary accommodation and meals at tourist destinations across the country.
Addressing a ceremony, he said Pakistan was blessed with natural beauty, and its northern areas, including Murree, Naran, Kaghan, Gilgit and Baltistan, were highly attractive for tourists. With the government attention, he added, these regions could play a key role in promoting tourism. Bhatti said his organisation was already focusing on providing orphan-children with opportunities to travel and explore, and it was now the government’s responsibility to take practical steps to offer such trips free of cost to orphan and destitute children.
“The orphans living with us are more interested in tourism than anyone else, as we train them mentally and morally in a way that keeps them refreshed,” he said. He called for a special card that would enable these children to stay in hotels and eat free of charge at tourist spots, so they could enjoy the scenic beauty of Pakistan’s northern areas.