Committee decides not to hold Qaqlasht festival this year too.
BOONI: At a meeting held with Prince Sultanul Mulk in the chair in Booni, the committee members said Qaqlasht festival was an indigenous event celebrated by people of Booni, Mulkhow, Byar and other areas for centuries.
The festival aimed at preserving local culture and promoting indigenous sports and games of Chitral.
In the recent years too, the youth of the area held the festival in April or early May each year and were assisted by the local administration. However, due to the Covid pandemic and advent of Ramazan the festival could not be arranged since 2020.
The committee was of the view that the festival would not be held this year too, due to lack of greenery following less rains at Qaqlasht and non-repair of the polo ground’s boundary wall.
If the local administration wants to hold the festival, it may do so without using the name of Qaqlasht festival, the participants of the meeting said.
It may be noted that due to the increasing interference by the local administration in the holding of the festival, the committee in the past had expressed its annoyance and reservation.