Security concerns keeping tourists away from Pakistan: Czech envoy

The Czech Republic Ambassador to Pakistan, Alexander Langer, feels this country has the potential to attract tourists from across the globe, but security concerns are keeping them away.

Islamabad, Oct 8 : The Czech Republic Ambassador to Pakistan, Alexander Langer, feels this country has the potential to attract tourists from across the globe, but "security concerns" are keeping them away.

Langer said that seven million tourists visited the Czech Republic last year, which has a total population of 10.2 million, adding, "Pakistan has population of 160 million and can attract lots of tourists every year."

In an interview to the Daily Times, he said foreigners could behave keeping in mind the sensitivities of Pakistan's society, but at least they should be free of worries about personal security.

Speaking about the Pak-Czech bilateral relations, the Ambassador said that after initial slump, trade was continuously rising between the two countries and had already crossed 72 million dollars. utual relations had improved in all spheres since Pakistan had opened its embassy in Prague last year and the Czech Prime Minister had visited Pakistan in May 2007, he said.

Langer went on to say that the Pak-Czech relations were not confined to a bilateral dimension, but it has a multilateral approach.

ANI