ISLAMABAD: President Dr Arif Alvi has urged all stakeholders to join hands to make Pakistan Boat Rally a success and put emphasis on organizing international sea sporting events to portray a soft image of the country.

President Alvi expressed these thoughts while addressing a meeting with the CEO of Pakistan Boat Rally and Fishing Tournament, Ahmed Mamoor Amimi, who called on him, at Aiwan-e-Sadr.

The President received a briefing on Pakistan’s potential in blue tourism besides the role of the Boat Rally and Fishing Tournament in enhancing Pakistan’s soft image.

The earlier edition of the event organized last year witnessed nine boats voyaging 650 kilometers for five days and four nights from Karachi to Gawadar, making it the ‘world’s longest boat rally’.

Alvi underscored the huge potential of the sea sporting events to generate revenues and promote tourism in the country and called upon the stakeholders to ensure the success of the Pakistan Boat Rally.

“It (Boat Rally) will help in promoting water sports in Pakistan and will increase the influx of foreign tourists in the country,” he said.

President Alvi further emphasized the importance of building Pakistan’s beaches, islands, and coastal resorts in accordance with international standards in order to encourage coastal tourism and the blue economy of the country.

Meanwhile, Secretary Ministry of the Inter-Provincial Coordination, Ahmad Hanif Orakzai, representatives of the Ministry of Maritime Affairs, Pakistan Sports Board, and Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation were also present at the meeting.

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