ISLAMABAD: The two-day Pakistan Tourism, Sports and Family Festival, organised by the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination (IPC) in collaboration with the Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC), provincial tourism departments, and public and private sector stakeholders, concluded at the Jinnah Sports Complex on Sunday.
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The second day of the festival featured vibrant sports activities and enthusiastic public participation. A fun marathon and a four-kilometre cycling event emerged as the day’s main attractions, drawing participants from all walks of life. Both events were widely enjoyed, with winners of each competition receiving cash prizes of Rs10,000 to promote healthy lifestyles and community engagement through sports.
The festival offered a diverse range of activities, including tourism stalls, live cooking, family and children’s entertainment, food courts, cultural exhibitions, provincial tourism pavilions, live cultural performances, painting competitions, an army band display, wall rock climbing, an adventure base camp, street curling, paragliding, hot air balloon rides, and a vintage car show.
In the evening, audiences were treated to colourful cultural and musical performances representing various regions of Pakistan. The event concluded with a grand musical concert followed by a fireworks display that illuminated the sky, marking a memorable close to the festivities.
Railway Minister Hanif Abbasi, who attended the closing ceremony, praised the efforts of the Prime Minister’s National Coordinator on Tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan, along with the PTDC team, for successfully organising the event.
Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan said the festival showcased Pakistan’s potential as a family-friendly, vibrant and welcoming tourism destination, highlighting strong public participation and the country’s cultural diversity.
Secretary of the Ministry of Inter-Provincial Coordination, Mohyuddin Ahmad Wani, said the mega event was made possible through effective inter-ministerial coordination and the collective efforts of all stakeholders, contributing significantly to the promotion of domestic tourism and social cohesion.
PTDC Managing Director Aftabur Rehman Rana expressed satisfaction with the festival’s outcome, stating that PTDC was proud to facilitate and coordinate the first-of-its-kind event in Islamabad. He added that the large public turnout reflected growing interest in tourism-led recreational initiatives.
