28/05/2024
Selling terms of the ‘” Elites” – “Green Tourism, Sustainable Development, Inclusive Approaches, Empowering Communities – Localisation”.
The terms "green," "sustainable development," "inclusive approaches," "community engagement," "prosperity," and "localization" are currently being used as tools to seize resources and deprive communities of their ownership rights.
We are currently experiencing a rise in colonization by the "Elites" in various parts of the country. Over the past few weeks, there have been multiple protests in different areas of Gilgit–Baltistan and on social media against the Green Tourism company. This company has obtained leases for 75 sites, including 44 in Gilgit-Baltistan (comprising 7 PTDC, 20 PWD, and 17 Forest Department sites) under the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC).
The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) was established under the leadership of Pakistan's Prime Minister, Shehbaz Sharif. On 20th June 2023, the Government of Pakistan approved the formation of SIFC to act as a "single window" to facilitate investors, establish cooperation among all Government departments, and fast-track project development. The council is chaired by the Prime Minister and includes members such as federal ministers, provincial chiefs, and the head of the army.
The Green Tourism Company argues that government-operated tourism resorts are in a state of disrepair, with assets worth over Rs 10 billion across Pakistan remaining non-operational since 2019. The annual liabilities for pay and allowances alone amount to Rs 1 billion, highlighting inefficiencies in the current system.
The main question is: Why did SIFC choose to partner with Green Tourism Private Limited to upgrade these guest houses and improve regional tourist facilities? If the Prime Minister and Army Chief aim for SIFC to contribute to the economic revival of Pakistan and bring socio-economic prosperity to the country, is this the only solution? Isn’t there any mechanism of accountability, effectiveness, and efficiency in the government sector?
Instead of strengthening government institutions, and capacitating the tourism department, local communities, and public infrastructure, why the SIFC is supporting the private sector in leasing community-owned land?
What will the tourism department's role, the fate of all PTDC infrastructure including human resources, and the role of the forest department? The forest department should also define its boundaries and respect the ownership rights of the local communities.
Government departments also need to clarify their approaches. One department invests billions in plantations, works on GLOF, invests in the name of climate change, and most importantly conservation. In contrast, the other department takes an opposite stance by leasing areas to private mining companies without any prior informed consent of the communities.
Dear brothers, we are the owners of this land, and companies such as Green Tourism and many others will ultimately try to take this ownership away from us. They may offer job opportunities, but what kind of jobs? Giving up our ownership rights and working under the elites? - No.
The investments all follow a top-to-bottom approach, prioritizing communities in the proposals and advertisements of such projects. However, in real terms the communities lose their livelihood sources, land ownership, and way of life.
