GB participation in event welcomed
PESHAWAR: Hailing the decision of Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) government to fully participate in the three-day Shandur Polo Festival, Special Assistant to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Tourism Abdul Munim Khan has said the event would provide an opportunity of great thrill and enjoyment to the tourists, spectators and fans of the polo game.
Presiding over a meeting held in connection with finalisation of arrangements for the upcoming polo festival here, he said that the polo teams of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) had agreed to participate in the Shandur Polo Festival to be started from July 22.
Member National Assembly Shehzada Iftikharuddin, Fida Khan Fida, Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) Managing Director Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, Secretary Tourism GB Jehanzeb Awan, Deputy Director Tourism GB Iqbal Hussain, Deputy Commissioner Ghizer Meer Waqar, Chitral Tehsil Council Nazim Jamalluddin, Chitral District Council Member Zulfiqar Shah, and Chitral Polo Association President Shahzada Sikandarul Mulk and others attended the meeting, said a communiqué.
Abdul Munim Khan told the participants that Shandur Polo Festival was the world’s famous event and they all should play their vital role to organise it in a befitting manner.
He said that domestic and international tourists and fans of polo game come to enjoy the festival at the highest polo ground of the world at Shandur Pass in Chitral. He said the festival would provide more thrill and enjoyment to the spectators and tourists after the GB and Chitral polo teams agreed to join the gala.
“We will try our best to provide all facilities to the members of participating teams, tourists and visitors to make the event a success and present a soft image of the province and people to the outer world,” Abdul Munim said.
He thanked the GB officials for agreeing to participate in the upcoming festival.
Speaking on the occasion, Iftikharuddin, MNA from Chitral, hoped a great number of tourists would throng the venue. “There is complete peace in Chitral and GB and the condition of acquiring no-objection certificate (NOC) for the international visitors and tourists has been withdrawn,” he added.
