Peshawar - Secretary Tourism and Culture Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Bakhtiar Khan has said that in light of the instructions of Advisor to CM on Tourism and Culture Zahid Chanzeb, all arrangements for the Shandur Polo Festival have been finalised. The festival will start as per schedule on Friday, June 28. Apart from Pakistan, tourists from all over the world are welcome to participate in this three-day extravaganza, he added.
He expressed these views while presiding over a review meeting held in the conference room of the Department of Tourism and Culture, Peshawar. The Secretary Tourism said that top officials of the administration of both Chitral districts, including the Deputy Commissioner of Upper Chitral, are constantly reviewing the highways and security arrangements. The Deputy Commissioner of Upper Chitral has also canceled the holidays of employees at the local level and is in constant contact with local people and leaders of Chitral.
He said that immediately after Eid-ul-Azha, various administrative teams of the Department of Tourism and Culture will be dispatched to the venue of the Shandur Polo Festival to ensure fool-proof preparations at the Shandur Ground. If necessary, additional facilities will be provided for tourists, he maintained. Bakhtiar Khan reiterated that the Shandur Polo Festival will be held on the dates announced by Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur.
In the three-day festival, apart from thrilling competitions by polo teams from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, artists and singers from these regions will perform in musical concerts. Stalls of local cultural handicrafts and products will be displayed at the festival. The closing ceremony on June 30 will feature paragliding and other artistic demonstrations, along with colorful cultural programs and artist performances, he concluded.
Meanwhile, Adviser to CM on Tourism and Culture Zahid Chanzeb expressed satisfaction over the ongoing arrangements and preparations for the Shandur Polo Festival, as he is in constant contact with the divisional and district administrations. He appreciated the continuous monitoring of highways and security arrangements by the Deputy Commissioners of both Chitral districts. He directed the authorities concerned to send teams of senior administrative officers of the tourism department to Shandur immediately after Eid-ul-Azha and ensure all arrangements are fool-proof. He expressed confidence that this three-day festival will be a successful and memorable tourism event according to international standards.
