Calling names over Shandur MoU

Polo, “the game of kings and the king of games” Shandur is located in Chitral and it is popular for two reasons: the roof of the world and the highest polo ground on the surface of the earth. It is famous for freestyle polo and the rules of this polo are: there are no rules! The Shandur polo festival properly traced back its origin to 1935 under the supervision of UK administration, first conducted by  the then political agent, Mr. Cobb (Major) in “moony polo ground” in local language “MAS JUNALI”. The polo has been annually played between the teams of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan each year in which Chitral serves as a host in the home ground while Gilgit-Baltistan plays as a guest counterpart. Shandur is recognized as de facto and de jure territory of the district Chitral, consequently the ownership and royalties are the legitimate rights of those people who are near and dear to Shandur, and the matter is quite controversial for the last few years owing to the politicized administration. In fact, Shandur is the grazing land for the nearest neighbor of mountain community i.e. “Laspuris”. The question is, why the festival and the ownership is politicized by political leaders, and why would our territory immersed into the neighbor province and request them to sign MOU for playing polo here. For the sake of Polo festival we cannot compromise on the land of Shandur to give fake ownership to those who are not “Ibn ul Balad” (the son of soil). Although, the Shandur polo festival is an exclusive event on the roof of the world, but being a polo festival it bears no importance for its people. It is also a tragedy that our immature political leaders have signed the MOU on Shandur plateau without keeping in view the future of Shandur for the betterment of the mountain community. Shandur event is not even the minor part of our culture neither a part of religious festival, and it were the British who introduced polo in Shandur and we are no longer part of the British empire, hence we are unable to declare it as a cultural festival. There is no need to sign any MOU neither to implore them for playing at Shandur, for the success of the festival. While on the ownership of Shandur a few figures are quite active over the electronic and print media, blaming the secret information of the so called by them “the retired teacher’s secret findings” . Desperately, it is the moment of sorrow and worry about the retired teacher, who  is criticized by the Chief editor of Shandur magazine, and it is a cause of dejection for the whole nation in general, and mountain community in particular. The retired teacher is not only a teacher but it would be better to say that he is the legend of our nation. This is odd thinking which actually reflects our grooming and personality grooming, which compels us as how to introduce the personality of great people like the great legend, Dr. Faizi. Dr. Faizi, is Faiz in poetry, Khaldoon in history, shortly he could be rightly called as the jack of all trades. It is very unfortunate for the mountain community that, how a man like him can talk about pearls and jewels. At last but not the least we are really upset over the wordings and statement of Mr. chief editor Shandur magazine about the great legend Dr. Faizi. Mr chief editor should apologize for undertaking the mistake.]]>