Tazeen Akhtar
Pakistanis are said to be the most resilient nation in the world as they face the hardships and challenges but continue moving forward to the positive side leaving behind all the negative things in their way forward. Same is true for the pioneers of GOPKZ, a digital platform to guide the travelers about where to go in Pakistan, when, how , with who and what are the options available for site visits and dine in their selected regions.
The National Coordinator/ Advisor to the Prime Minister of Pakistan on Tourism, Sardar Yasir Ilyas Khan was the chief guest at the event who said Pakistan has more than 100 billion dollar external debts that can be paid back by promoting tourism in the country that has a potential of 40 to 50 billion dollar a year.
GOPKZ (Go Pakistan Zinda Baad) digital platform launched in Islamabad on 14 Aug 2026. GOPKZ has been launched by Canadian Pakistan Mohammad Zubair Siddiqi, marking an important step towards a more connected, accessible and technology driven future for tourism in the country.
Renowned Pakistani mountaineer Serbaz Khan, President Hunza Chamber of Small Traders and Industry Mubarak Hussain, Commercial Attache of Azerbaijan Embassy Mr. Sameer were present at the occasion. Vice President Islamabad Chamber Erfan Chaudhry attended the launch ceremony and assured cooperation.
Sardar Yasir Ilyas expressed concern on the state of affairs on tourism in Pakistan by saying that today we are celebrating independence day but our youth have nothing to do except wandering on the roads. He said, Pakistan has to learn how to improve the things and ideas to provide better facilities of tourism for the people (domestic and foreign).
He emphasized on the promotion of right images of Pakistan in the world and suggested the people working in the tourism sector to introduce different types of tourism to the world that include site tourism, heritage tourism, medical tourism etc.
The Co Founder of GOPKZ , Mohammad Zubair Siddiqi , in his address, briefed the guests about the venture. In the beginning , he blew the minds by asking a question how many Pakistanis have visited Dubai, Istanbul and how many have seen Skardu and Chitral. Most of the guests present raised their hands on the first two destinations while the least number showed hands on the last two.
He established his point that Pakistanis have financial worth and want to travel for leisure but they do not select destinations in the country only because they do not have proper information about the places and that purpose has been served through GOPKZ.
Zubair added , Pakistanis have hospitality in their DNA and Pakistan has all sites in one country that are explored by travelers in different countries. Pakistan has all types of sites including beaches , deserts , green meadows, ice packed mountains , heritage , history and beauty of nature. Moreover every region has its own unique culture but the common factor everywhere is our hospitality.
Vice President of GOPKZ , Shahroz Habib , a young shining entrepreneur, apprised the guests about GOPKZ in his well prepared presentation. He elaborated through slides that “From Booking to Belonging,” GOPKZ brings together stays, flights, experiences, travel planning and destination discovery within one platform.
He answered the question , why GOPKZ when Google is available. He said at Google and other internet options, there are hundreds of different pages, going in which the user is bewildered rather than informed. GOPKZ gives exact and to the point factual information about everything a tourist requires.
With AI powered features and a growing network of tourism and hospitality partners, GOPKZ aims to make exploring Pakistan simpler for travelers while creating greater visibility and opportunity for businesses and communities across the tourism ecosystem.
Managing Director Pakistan Tourism Development Corporation (PTDC) Aftab-ur-Rehman Rana was also present at the occasion. He shared that Tourism is an 11 trillion dollar industry in the world. 10 % of global GDP consists of tourism. In Pakistan, the tourism industry has a volume of 6.5 trillion Rs in the national economy (The figure is not confirmed through independent sources).
He mentioned some tourism policy prepared by Sardar Yasir but did not share the details of what has been suggested in this policy to promote tourism in Pakistan because the overall situation in the country is not conducive for any tourism , domestic or foreigners. The diplomats in the capital say , Pakistan has three seasons ; 1- Winter 2- Summer 3- Containers ( When containers are placed to contain the public from entering into certain sectors the first is placed in front of the diplomatic enclave).
MD PTDC is also supposed to share the facts and figures of deaths of domestic tourists in the last two years during his MD ship in the tourist areas , especially in Swat and other parts of KP and AJK. Also he should take notice of how the tourists are exploited by illegally exaggerated rates from food to rooms in tourist spots. Murree is only 40 minutes drive but no one ever bothered to examine or train the staff there.
With this (PTDC) as its strategic partner, GOPKZ seeks to strengthen collaboration between technology, hospitality, tourism stakeholders and local communities, supporting a tourism landscape that is better connected, more visible and ready for the future.
GOPKZ celebrates a Pakistan worth seeing, experiencing and sharing, from its mountains and heritage to its cultures, communities and stories. Its vision is to use technology not only to facilitate travel, but to help people build a deeper connection with the country. The Grand Launch brought together leaders and representatives from tourism, government, business and the diplomatic community, including
Ambassador Dato’ Mohammad Azhar bin Mazlan, High Commission of Malaysia was expected by the hosts but he did not attend the event. Raja Nasir Ali Khan Maqpoon – Provincial Minister for Forests, Wildlife, Parks, and Environment and Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries, and Animal Husbandry, Capt. Niaz Ahmed – Chairman PATO and others mentioned in the press release were not seen there.
