By Abdul Rafay
KARACHI: Karachi must reclaim its former status as a hub for regional tourism, said Tajikistan’s Ambassador to Pakistan, Sharifzoda Yusuf, during a visit to the Karachi Chamber of Commerce and Industry (KCCI). Reflecting on Karachi’s vibrant past, particularly in the 1980s and 1990s, he emphasised the city’s potential to once again attract tourists from Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, Azerbaijan, Georgia, and Russia.
The ambassador noted that in its heyday, Karachi welcomed an influx of visitors from Central Asia who contributed significantly to the local economy. “In the 1990s, Tajik tourists alone spent an estimated $10 to $15 million annually in Karachi, drawn by its bustling markets, high-quality textiles, and leather goods,” Yusuf said, recalling his own experience of Karachi in 1992 when he attended a course at the Institute of Business Administration.
During the meeting, attended by Honorary Consul General of Tajikistan Irshad Kassam, KCCI President Muhammad Jawed Bilwani, and other senior officials, Yusuf described a time when Karachi’s Saddar district thrived with commercial activity into the early morning hours, free of security concerns. Direct flights from Central Asian countries were frequent, solidifying Karachi’s reputation as a trade and tourism hub.
The ambassador highlighted the longstanding cultural and historical ties between Pakistan and Tajikistan, pointing to shared heritage sites like the mausoleums of Sufi saints in Karachi and the Makli Graveyard in Badin, where many Tajik ancestors are buried. He urged efforts to revitalise these connections to enhance tourism and trade. Yusuf also underscored the opportunities for Pakistani exports to Tajikistan and its neighbours. “Until 2003, 85% of Tajiks wore Pakistani-made clothing and shoes,” he said, stressing the need to restore the country’s textile trade.
