Recently I was asked to give a briefing on the Gandhara Corridor in a high level meeting of the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), attended by federal ministers and the military leadership as well as the representatives from all provinces, at the Prime Minister’s Secretariat.

While highlighting the significance of establishing a Gandhara Corridor for connecting Pakistan with the Buddhist world, I categorically mentioned that our neighbouring country has identified faith tourism as a key sector for socio-economic uplift, cultural preservation, spiritual enrichment and promoting the soft image. In this regard, a strategic step to attract pilgrims from Buddhist majority countries has already been taken in the form of developing the Buddhist Circuit.

The Indian government with the collaboration of World Bank, Asian Development Bank and foreign investors is developing a holy network of sacred sites and destinations associated with the spiritual journey of Gautama Buddha, spanning across several states in India, including Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Odisha.

The World Bank, under the India Buddhist Circuit Development Project (IBCDP), has been a key partner in........

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