Pak Tourism Ministry website offers outdated information

The official website of Pakistans Tourism Ministry might be adversely affecting its efforts to boost tourism in the country, as it offers outdated information.

Islamabad, Sep 19 : The official website of Pakistan's Tourism Ministry might be adversely affecting its efforts to boost tourism in the country, as it offers outdated information.

Many sections of the website have not been updated for the last many years and the website is yet to remove the name of former Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Managing Director Salman Javed, who was dismissed from service on charges of corruption and misuse of power.

The website gives the recent appointment of GG Jamal as the Minister of Tourism, but has no picture or profile of his, unlike the official websites of other ministries that display brief details of ministers' backgrounds.

Currently, there are no press releases or news items in the media section. Similarly, circulars, notices and advertisements issued by the ministry are not available on the website, the Daily Times reported.

Sections like Adventure in Pakistan, Historical Places in Pakistan and Provincial Tourism in Pakistan links were last updated on March 28, 2006.

Similarly, the last information posted appears in the visa policy section on June 17, 2006 and in the Department of Tourist Services section, Islamabad on May 12, 2004.

The agenda of the Visit Pakistan Year 2007 is listed on the website, but its details are unavailable. To make matters worse, contact numbers of hotels and restaurants recommended by the ministry are either incorrect or obsolete.

An official said that no one would dispute that the ministry's website should be updated regularly, if possible daily, to provide required information to tourists.

He said that the poorly maintained website is creating a bad impression about the ministry especially when it is celebrating 2007 as 'Visit Pakistan Year'.

ANI