First day of Shandur polo festival remains quite dull
SHANDUR: The first day of the annual Shandur polo festival remained quite dull compared to the previous years, as polo teams from Ghizer did not turn up due to a row over selection of their teams.
Commissioner Malakand Division Shahidullah Khan was chief guest on the inaugural day who opened the festival.
In the first match, Laspur Upper beat Laspur Lower by 6:1 goals. In the second match, Mastuj A defeated Yaseen A with 5-4 goals.
Usually, the first day matches of the festival are played by teams from Laspur and Ghizer, located on both sides of the venue in Chitral and GB.
Since 1982, the Gilgit-Baltistan team has won the trophy for 13 times and Chitral 16 times.
Under the captaincy of Shahzada Sikandarul Mulk, the Chitral team has won the event for a staggering 13 times. He is thus the most successful captain ever followed by Raji Rehmat of Gilgit, who has led his team in seven wins.
The unique location of the polo ground makes it a popular destination for adventure seekers and polo enthusiasts
Laspur Upper defeats Laspur Lower by 6:1 goals on first day of Shandur polo festival. Laspur teams played the inaugural match after teams from Ghizer did not show up today. @DCLowerChitral
— Chitral Today (@ChitralToday) July 7, 2023
Speaking at the opening day of the three-day festival, the commissioner said preparations for the annual festival had started about six months ago. He appreciated the district governments of Chitral and the KP tourism and culture department for the arrangements.
About the main issue of roads, the official said a request had been made to the federal government to start work on the construction of the Chitral-Mastuj and Shandur road.
Besides the polo matches, tableau by schoolchildren and musical programs by artists from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan were parts of the event.
A large number of government officers and people from different parts of the country and abroad have reached the venue to witness the festival to be concluded on Sunday.