LAHORE, 27 September, 2026 (Ghufran): Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz Sharif has said the province has immense tourism potential and that promoting its historical, cultural and natural heritage can contribute to economic growth and employment opportunities. In her message on World Tourism Day, she said Punjab’s rich heritage, scenic landscapes, ancient forts and religious sites offered significant attractions for domestic and international tourists. She said sustainable measures were being taken to promote tourism and provide modern facilities at tourist destinations, while welcoming the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation’s decision to designate Lahore as a tourism and cultural capital this year. The chief minister said projects such as the Murree Glass Train, improvements to roads including Murree Mall Road and the development of Kotli Sattian were aimed at creating new attractions and improving access for tourists. She said the government was also promoting religious tourism and upgrading historical and cultural sites to highlight Punjab’s heritage internationally. Maryam Nawaz said tourism could create new employment and livelihood opportunities for young people and local communities while strengthening the provincial economy. She added that the government was committed to presenting Pakistan’s cultural and natural beauty to the world and making Punjab’s tourist destinations more attractive through modern facilities and sustainable development measures.