PESHAWAR – Governor Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Faisal Karim Kundi on Friday said preserving Peshawar’s rich historical heritage was essential to promoting tourism and strengthening the city’s cultural identity, directing the authorities concerned to take practical measures for the restoration and promotion of historical sites. He expressed these views while chairing a meeting on the preservation, restoration and development of Peshawar’s historical heritage and tourist attractions. Adviser for Planning and Development Usman Saifullah Khan, Secretary Tourism Sadat Hassan and other relevant officials attended the meeting. The meeting was given a detailed briefing on Peshawar’s historical and cultural significance, conservation of heritage sites, night tourism, heritage tourism, and ongoing as well as proposed development projects. The Governor said Peshawar was a living symbol of centuries-old history, civilisation and culture, and stressed the need to project its historical identity to attract both domestic and foreign tourists. He directed the authorities to relocate the vintage ambulance and old fire brigade vehicles at Gor Khatri to a prominent place where visitors could easily view them. He also called for operating special tourist buses to facilitate visits to the city’s historical landmarks. Kundi further instructed officials to install large information boards near the motorway toll plaza highlighting Peshawar’s historical sites and cultural heritage so that visitors entering the city could learn about its rich past. He said cultural events should be organised regularly to preserve and promote Peshawar’s traditions, arts and literary heritage, adding that restoration work on the ancestral houses of legendary film icons Dilip Kumar and Raj Kapoor should also begin at the earliest. The Governor welcomed the practical steps being taken to conserve the city’s historical heritage and said restoration of heritage sites along with improved tourism facilities would further strengthen Peshawar’s cultural identity.