Polo players threaten to boycott Shandur festival

CHITRAL: Polo players from different parts of Chitral have given the government June 10th deadline to pay them the allowances and prizes of 2018 otherwise they would boycott the forthcoming district and Shandur polo festivals.

Speaking at a meeting held regarding a toss for the district polo tournament, Chitral Polo Assocuation President Shahzada Sikendarul Mulk came down hard on the provincial tourism department, district government and the district administration for their callous attitude towards the players of the popular game of Chitral.

He said allowance at the rate of Rs8,000 per horse for last year’s district polo festival and prizes and extra allowance and Rs10,000 announced for each player of Shandur festival 2018 had not been paid to the players so far.

Besides, special cash prize announced by the chief guest at the Shandur festival for the sportsmen was also pending.

An amount of Rs250,000 had been announced for the owner of a horse whose leg was fractured during Shandur festival 2017 but the owner has also not been compensated so far, he complained.

He and other members and office-bearers of the association demanded that the dues should be cleared before June 10 otherwise they would boycott the two festivals.

An official of the finance department on the occasion assured the players that he would convey their demand to the authorities concerned.

 

Reporting: Bashir Hussain Azad