Green Tourism Company and the issue of JKA

Pakistani administrated Kashmir and Gilgit Baltistan had a vast tourism potential due to a natural landscape and topography. Naturally, flowing springs, water channels, streams, hilly pastures and sky-touching mountains have the potential to attract tourists. Due to poor infrastructure and lack of government attention, the required facilities to attract many tourists have not been established for so long in both regions. In the previous decade, local businesspersons and entrepreneurs started to invest in the tourism industry and with a boom in social media people from different parts of Pakistan set their tourist destination as Gilgit Baltistan or Pakistani-administrated Kashmir. The modern tourism trend in both regions is started by the local youth as entrepreneurship; considering the environmental and ecological importance of the region in mind. That entrepreneurship enabled local engaged youth to earn a decent resource for their livelihood.

The recent decision by the government to lease out various properties and lands in Gilgit-Baltistan to Green Tourism Pvt. Ltd., a private company, has sparked protests and concerns among the residents. The move has generated significant attention and raised questions about the transparency and fairness of the leasing process.

On May 31, 2024 – the Awami Action Committee leading protests described the firm’s presence in GB as a “conspiracy” to occupy the area’s resources. Awami Action Committee Chairman Ahsan Advocate denounced the regional government’s decision to lease public property without public consent. Terming the decision as unacceptable, he vowed to leverage public power to compel authorities to revoke this decision.

Green Tourism Pvt. Ltd. is a private company registered under the Security and Exchange Commission of Pakistan (SECP) with the registration number 0250188. The company, established on 26-01-2024, has a CEO named Mirza Mansoor Ahmed, and interestingly, the Pakistan Army holds a 99% share in the company.

Residents of Gilgit-Baltistan have voiced their concerns and opposition to the leasing of these properties. During a press conference in Astore, political activist Abbas Mousavi and local Jirga leaders warned against any attempts to claim the Rama property, emphasizing its ownership by the people of Astore Eidgah, Chongrah, and Patipura. The Daskhiram Deosai Supreme Council and elders of the area have also warned the government against capturing resources, including Deosai. They have vowed to protect their resources and threatened to make Deosai a pasture again.

The properties leased by Green Tourism Pvt. Ltd. include guesthouses in various locations such as Phandar, Gupis, Naltar, Karimabad, Hopper, Sumayar, Chillas, Babusar, Rama, Eidgah, Minimerg, Kachura, Shigar, Baltoro Skardu, Hamidgarh, Khaplu, Singul, Passu, Thalichi, and Chilum. The lease agreements involve monthly payments for these properties, with details provided for specific sites.

In addition to Gilgit-Baltistan, Green Tourism Pvt. Ltd. has also acquired 17 motels and 2 plots of land in KPK. These properties, valued at over PKR 10.112 billion, are located in Naran, Balakot, Chattar Plain, Ayubia, Booni, Bumburet, Garam Chashma, Mastuj, Chitral, Birmogh Lasht, Saidu Sharif, Besham, Miandam, Baran Kallay, Kalam, Chakdarra, Panakot, and Torkham. Specific details are being provided for the PTDC (Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation) motel in Naran and the motel in Besham.

The KPK government earlier said the outsourcing of those properties would be made under the guidance of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).

The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) stands as a council initiated under the leadership of Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. Its primary objective is to entice foreign investments and stimulate the nation’s economic growth. This council boasts a membership that includes all Provincial Chief Ministers and the Army Chief.

SIFC’s project Green Tourism is revolutionizing the tourism sector in Gilgit-Baltistan. However, the Green Tourism Company and the Government of Gilgit-Baltistan have signed an agreement to renovate and operate 44 tumbled-down government guesthouses and those will charge a minimum rate from the tourists but there is opposition in the masses and political stakeholders about the agreement.

In the Senate of Pakistan during a discussion on said issue, Senator Abbas Jafri said that Gilgit-Baltistan land is going to be encroached on in the name of green tourism. Prominent activist and member of Awami Action Committee Gilgit Baltistan, Nazaf Ali termed it as a control on the resources of Gilgit-Baltistan. Shabbir Mayar, Muhammad Dilshad Ali, Ehsan Advocate and other prominent activists from Gilgit-Baltistan have condemned the act because as per their views Gilgit-Baltistan and Kashmir are not geographical and constitutional parts of Pakistan so the federal government cannot implement its decisions on the regions.

Nobody from either of the regions is against the enhancement the tourism activities in Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan but the locals should be considered the primary stakeholders in any such act. The introduction of reforms in a particular department or industry means empowering the local habitants economically and financially by capacity building and providing them with equal opportunities for competition. As far as the issue of Green Tourism Company is concerned, fair competition is ignored and a monopolistic approach is adopted. The very act compelled locals to think about the hegemony of the state, which ignored public opinion.