KP, GB tojointly organise Shandur Festival

PESHAWAR: The governments of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Gilgit-Baltistan on Monday agreed to jointly organise the Shandur Polo Festival in August after Gilgit-Baltistan’s reservations were addressed.
The Gilgit-Baltistan polo team will participate in the festival after a three-year break as its reservations were removed during a meeting between the high-level delegations of the two governments. The announcement to this effect was made at the end of a seminar titled “Shandur for Peace and Tourism” at a local hotel.
The GB delegation included Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs Inayatullah Shumali, Minister for Planning and Development Abdul Jehan, Agriculture Minister Niamatullah and Law Minister Mushtaq Ahmad.
The KP government was represented by Adviser to Chief Minister on Sports, Tourism and Youth Affairs Amjad Afridi, special assistant on Minority Affairs Suran Singh and female MPA from Chitral, Fauzia Bibi.
Amjad Afridi said Gilgit-Baltistan government’s reservations had been addressed as the KP government had agreed to its demands. He said the Shandur Polo Festival will be held from August 7-9. “The Gilgit-Baltistan team will participate in the festivity after a break of three years which will boost tourism. The spectators and tourists would get the opportunity to watch the match between teams of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan,” he added.