Category: News

The three-day International Conference on Mountaineering and Eco-Tourism and Hospitality concluded on June 29, 2019. The President of Islamic Republic of Pakistan and Chancellor KIU Excellency Dr. Arif Alvi graced the closing ceremony as chief guest.

President Dr. Arif Alvi has said that with tourism activities growing in Gilgit-Baltistan, to preserve region’s natural beauty the concept of eco-tourism should be made.

President Alvi said that local and foreign tourists were attracted to Gilgit-Baltistan and expected to grow more in the coming years.

There are remarkable opportunities for tourism and mountaineering, as the region is blessed with mountains, glaciers, streams, pastures, forests and rich culture.

President Alvi assured Government’s full support to strengthen KIU and provision of assistance in establishment of Karakoram International Institute of Mountaineering.

Governor Gilgit-Baltistan Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon in his speech said, good roads, high speed internet and efficient banking facilities need to be provided to boost up tourism activities in the region.

VC KIU Prof. Dr. Attaullah Shah thanked the honorable President and Chancellor KIU Dr. Arif Alvi for giving time to the closing ceremony of three-day international conference at KIU Hunza.

Dr. Irena Mrak one of the International key note speakers also spoke to the occasion.

International conference on Mountaineering, Eco Tourism and Hospitality organized by Karokoram International University Hunza campus successfully completed. Governor Gilgit Baltistan Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon was the chief guest of the inaugural session and His Excellency The President of Pakistan Dr. Arif Alvi of  closing session of IC-METH while Researchers, Scholars, Vice Chancellors from different national and abroad Universities, students, faculty and staff of KIU were attended the conference. Addressing to IC-METH Mr. Raja Jalal Hussain Maqpoon, Governor GB has said that Dr. Attaullah Shah VC KIU’s efforts in organizing the conference are commendable. We have countless opportunities of promoting tourism in the region. Governor said that the government will resolve land acquisition issue for the campus. The proposal of Tourism and Mountaineering Centre at Nasirabad Hunza is a great initiative. I will try my best to acquire financial resource for the proposed center. Prof.  Atta Ullah Shah Vice Chancellor KIU has said that KIU is honored to have the first ever conference on Tourism and Hospitality Management, to showcase the nature wonders and its tourism significance in socio-economic development of the region. Dr. Shah said that KIU’s Hunza campus has been a leading campus in Pakistan to start the tourism department. The conference will help develop linkages and networking among government, academic and private stakeholder to promote ecotourism in the region. The conference has attracted numerous and diverse national and international scholars and speakers.

Prof. Dr. Amran Rusli, UTM, Malaysia talked about how university spaces can be used to promote tourism and presented the case of his own university in this regard. Prof. Dr. Azizan Marzoki, Malaysia talked about mountain tourism/highland tourism and how it has been developed in Malaysia. Prof. Dr. Muhammad Naeem Khan, Vice Chancellor Baltistan University talked about Mountaineering and ecotourism Potentials in Baltistan. He said that Baltistan all-in-one destination (cultural, agriculture, geological tourism, mountaineering, climbing etc). Prof. Dr. Masoom Yasinzai Rector International Islamic University presented his paper in Islamic perspective of Tourism. In the Plenary Session   renown mountaineer Mr. Nazir Sabir,  KIU Senator Mr. Rehman Shah, Col. Saqib Iqbal, Sector Commander SCO GB, Ms. Ghazala Yasmin, GB Pride Association, Mr. Basharat Issa, Institute of Educational Development, Aga Khan University, Karachi, Ms. Shahida Haji, Punjab University, Dr. Rizwan Abbas Assistant Professor KIU Hunza Campus, Dr. Talib Hussain, Baltistan University, Ms. Irum and Mr Haider Ali, KIU Hunza Campus presented their research papers in the different sessions of the conference.

KIU will work with Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation and Tourism Department on promotion of Eco-tourism in the Gilgit-Baltistan region. This was agreed in the meeting between Vice Chancellor KIU Prof. Dr. Attaullah Shah and Managing Director PTDC and Add Secretary Cabinet Division Syed Waqar-Ul-Hassan, held at Islamabad. Vice Chancellor invited them to attend the International Conference on Mountaineering, Eco-tourism and Hospitality to be held at KIU-Hunza campus in June, 2019. He also shared the proposal on Karakoram International Institute of Eco-Tourism Hospitality and Mountaineering at Hunza, which was appreciated by the delegation. PTDC and KIU will sign an MoU on students’ internships, trainings and joint programs. This MoU will be signed in forthcoming conference. Later KIU Souvenir was presented to him.

Prof.Dr. Attaullah Shah, Vice Chancellor, KIU met Mr. Ali Amin Khan Gandapur, Federal Minister Kashmir Affairs and Gilgit-Baltistan, today in his Chamber. Vice Chancellor shared various initiatives and projects of KIU with the federal minister. further, VC shared the proposal of Karamoram International Institute of Tourism, Hospitality and Mountaineering (KITHM) to be establish at Hunza which was highly appreciated by the honorable minister. He assured to further submit this proposal to the Prime Minister of Pakistan for full support as tourism is the top priority of Prime Minster and the government.Vice Chancellor invited federal minister to attend the International Conference on Mountaineering, Eco Tourism and Hospitality (IC-METH, 2019) at Hunza, which he  accepted graciously.

Ms. Samana Rahim, student of BS-Tourism and Hospitality Management KIU Hunza Campus got second position in ski competition conducted by ” Pakistan Youth Outreach” held at Shimshal valley at 4300m altitude.

A workshop on Quality assurance and office automation was held at campus. Faculty and management participated in the fruitful workshop.