PESHAWAR, Nov 1: The Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has signed a memorandum of understanding with the Water and Power Development Authority (Wapda) for establishing a recreational water sports facility at Khanpur dam.

A news release issued here on Friday said TCKP signed a MoU in Tarbela after two years of continuous meetings with Wapda and struggle.

TCKP Managing Director Tarik Jamil and Wapda General Manager Hazrat Umar signed the MoU during a special ceremony, where TCKP General Manager (Events) Mohammad Ali Syed was also in attendance.

The MoU defines the general understanding for establishing a recreational facility to be developed and operated by TCKP at Khanpur dam in Haripur district.

The Khanpur dam located on the Haro River 25 miles from Islamabad caters to domestic water supplies to Rawalpindi and Islamabad and irrigation water to many of the agricultural and industrial areas surrounding the cities.

The adjoining Khanpur lake is the venue for the TCKP annual airborne and waterborne sports gala, said the news release.

The TCKP annual water sports events are the biggest water sports activity in the country.

Speaking on the occasion, the TCKP MD said the signing of the MoU was a great achievement for the corporation, which had pioneered water sports activities in the province.

He said TCKP had planned to establish tourist rest areas, tuck shops, sitting areas, parking lots, restaurants, toilets, souvenir stalls, a children’s park, a bird sanctuary and a separate family section for tourists at the proposed recreational water sports facility.

Mr Jamil said establishing a walking track around the place was also included in the plan.

He said modern water sports activities including rowing, boat racing and parasailing would be held in Khanpur on a daily basis.

Meanwhile, Tourism Minister Mehmood Khan said it was a bold step taken by TCKP to establish a recreational facility at Khanpur dam, which would go a long way in promoting tourism in the province.

He said the project would benefit local community, too, by creating better employment and income generating opportunities.