Shandur festival to be used to bring people of KP, GB closer, says official

PESHAWAR, April 7: The Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) is arranging a one-day seminar in the provincial capital in connection with the upcoming Shandur Polo Festival. According to organisers, the seminar to be held on April 13 will engage stakeholders for organising the festival in a befitting manner and promote peace and tourism in the province. The decision to organise the seminar was made during a meeting chaired by provincial tourism secretary Dr Aftab Akbar Durrani on Monday, says a news release here. TCKP Managing Director Mushtaq Ahmad Khan, MPA Fauzia Bibi, deputy secretary of the home department Rehmatullah Wazir, director protocol M Arif Khan, Chitral Journalists Forum president Zulfiqar Ali Shah, Sports Writers Association president Nadir Khwaja, Shandur Festival president Mujahid Khan, TCKP general manager Sajjad Hameed, director (culture) Tariq Mehmood and others attended the meeting. Speaking on the occasion, Dr Aftab said the seminar was aimed at bringing the people of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan closer and promote peace and tourism in the two regions. He said the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan chief ministers would also attend the seminar where the Shandur Polo Festival opening date would be announced. Dr Aftab said polo players of the two regions would be invited to the seminar. He said besides polo, the cultural and music shows and traditional dances would also be part of the festival. Shandur Top located in Chitral is called the ‘Roof of the World.’ The top is flat, a plateau and can be crossed between late April and early November. Every year, there is a polo tournament played on Shandur Top between the home teams of Chitral and Gilgit teams from other regions.–Dawn]]>