Khyber Pakhtunkhwa advisor on information Shafiullah Jan has said that the negative propaganda regarding Swat Hotel (formerly Serena Hotel) is contrary to the facts.
In his statement, Shafiullah Jan said that the 44-kanal Swat Hotel was leased in 1985 at an annual rent of Rs 500,000. The 30-year lease of Swat Hotel had been completed in 2015. On June 30, 2015, when the lease period expired, the Serena Hotel management applied for an extension.
According to Shafiullah Jan, assessments were conducted to determine the rent. In 2014, the annual rent was fixed at Rs 88.6 million. Due to differences over the determination of the rent, the matter was in court proceedings for several years.
He said that the multi-sectoral committee of the Tourism Authority had fixed the annual market rate rent of the hotel at Rs 104 million. After court proceedings, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority took back the hotel.
Shafiullah Jan said that the Swat Hotel will be leased through a transparent and competitive open auction. The province will benefit significantly from the open auction of the hotel. He is committed to transparent and effective management of provincial assets. Everyone will be able to participate in the open auction of the hotel.
He said that the tourism sector is of key importance for the province’s economy. He is taking steps to promote tourism and further improve the infrastructure of tourist destinations.
Read also:Shafi Jan clarifies KP govt stance on Swat Serena hotel closure
