Heritage Tourism in Pakistan

Brief History

The East and West have always been at the crossroads of diverse populations. One of the main crossroads in these East-West exchanges is the region now known as Pakistan. The land that is today Pakistan was part of the Indus Valley Civilization ¹   and the Gandhara Civilization ²  which was the hub of Buddhism and other cultural societies and heritages living along the historical Silk Road ³ , thousands of years ago. The Mughal Empire ⁴  ruled most of Pakistan in the 16th and 17th centuries. In the 18th century, the British came to the region and took over the area of Pakistan, then part of India. They would rule up until 1947. After the partition of the Indian subcontinent into two parts: India and Pakistan became independent.

Role of Tourism

Tourism in its modern form has been often touted as the driver that not only helps spur economic activity leading to better living standards for its beneficiaries but also changing perception of the target area for the better. UNWTO elaborates that convergence of tourism and culture enriches the visitors’ experiences, facilitates intercultural dialogue and cultural appreciation, while enabling the access to culture to a broader audience. Tourism has been recognized for its potential to contribute to the achievement of many of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly in the areas of job creation, sustainable consumption and production, and the conservation of natural resources. Pakistan has six cultural properties inscribed on World Heritage List and 26 sites (cultural and nature) on the Tentative List of UNESCO ⁵ , where properties include all four provinces of the country Punjab, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Baluchistan, and Sindh including the federally administered region of Gilgit-Baltistan. Culture can play a pivotal role in promoting communal harmony.

Touristic Attractions of Pakistan

Indus Valley Civiliztion

Indus Valley Civilization is one of the four ancient river civilizations of the world the other three being Egypt, Iraq and China.The archeological sites discovered in Pakistan 1920s are now famous tourist destinations are Moenjodaro, Makli, Thatta, Harappa, and Port of Banbhore and most of the ruins still remain unexcavated. .

Gandhara Civilization

The ancient Buddhist Gandhara Civilization era ruins and structures in Taxila and other parts of Khyber Pakhtoon Khuwa province of Pakistan. These sites are a great source of attraction for archeologists and tourists who are interested in and believe in the indigenous knowledge of the past. This area is believed to be the center of Buddhists Among the must-visit sites and palaces of this Buhist are; Takht-i-Bahi, Rohtas Fort, Taxila, the archeological site of Ranigat, Shahbazgarhi Rock Edicts, and Mansehra Rock Edicts

Natural Heritage

This extraordinarily varied and attractive landscape, Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan is a meeting point of world’s four famous high altitude mountain ranges i.e. Pamirs, Hindukush, Karakorum and Himalayas. An important part of the ecological heritage, typical to the Karakoram, Himalayan and the Hindukush mountain Ranges are cluster of peaks, glaciers and wide variety of diverse flora and fauna, as well as different life zones. The region also contains some of the largest glaciers outside the polar region. Out of the fourteen world's tallest 8,000 meters and above mountains five are located in the Gilgit-Baltistan region of Pakistan.

Mughal Heritage

Under the Mughal Empire (1526-1857), Lahore remained its captial for a certain period of time. This historic city has major monuments – mosques, fortifications, palaces and gardens. These include Lahore Fort, a World Heritage Site, and the Wazir Khan Mosque. Using cultural heritage as a resource for community development Fort and Shalamar Gardens, Badshahi Mosque, Wazir Khan's Mosque, Tombs of Jahangir, Asif Khan and Akbari Sarai, Hiran Minar and Tank, Sheikhupura, Rani Kot Fort, Dadu and Shah Jahan Mosque, Thatta

Heritage Sites Tourist Visitors

According to the Statistics Bureau of Pakistan data available for 15 UNESCO listed heritage sites, in the past five years 25million tourist visitors, national and international visited these sites. Lahore Fort tops the list in terms of the most visited tourist destination with an annual turnover of 5million people. Other twelve sites which include world heritage sites and are on the Tentative List of UNESCO have huge potential for tourist visitation, attracted only 1.2millioon people in a year.

Airport and Tourist Destination Guide Maps

Restoring the Past The Aga Khan Trust for Culture ⁶  an expert in the field of heritage conservation is in partnership with the Government of Pakistan through the Archeology department and Walled City Lahore Authority is working for the preservation and protection of these sites of cultural significance through adaptive reuse plan. The concept is to continue to emphasise the importance of arts and culture in promoting understanding and collaboration among people inside and outside Pakistan, thereby contributing to peace and security.