Peshawar – The 3-day annual Shandoor Polo Festival in Upper Chitral will begin on Friday, June 28, 2024, in which Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur will attend as the chief guest, while polo teams from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan will participate on this 12,000-ft high Polo Ground, the highest in the world. In addition to the representation of the federal government of both provinces, foreign tourists are also expected to participate in this grand sports gala.
In this regard, an important meeting was held in Peshawar under the chairmanship of Advisor to KP Chief Minister on Tourism and Culture Zahid Chanzeb, in which Secretary Tourism Mohammad Bakhtiar Khan, Director General Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) Barkatullah Marwat and other relevant officials were present. Besides, Commissioner Malakand division and Deputy Commissioners of Chitral Upper and Lower and Dir Upper, Additional Chief Secretary of Gilgit-Baltistan, Local Administrative Officers and sports officials participated in the meeting online.
After reviewing various aspects of arrangements as well as suggestions and recommendations put forth by the participants, necessary decisions were taken to finalize the foolproof arrangements in this regard.
Zahid Chanzeb clarified that the present PTI-led government is paying special attention to the development of tourism according to the vision of Imran Khan and the successful holding of Shandoor Polo Festival is in fact a test case not only for the tourism department but also for the entire provincial government and administrative machinery of the government.
Zahid Chanzeb said that before the launch of this extravaganza, the clearance of all relevant highways, security, availability of quality food items and fuel in sufficient quantity at the petrol pumps is the foremost duty of the concerned authorities and institutions. Not a single incident of negligence would be tolerated in this respect, he cautioned.
The advisor also directed the concerned DCs to hold separate meetings with the players of the teams participating in the polo tournament and the local people and elite to take them into confidence amicably so that they could practically own it and make the festival a success story in all respects.
“Increase in domestic and foreign tourists, the province’s income, especially foreign exchange, is expected to be continuously increased,” he asserted. In the same way, he said, potable water, washroom facilities and good sanitary arrangements are also indispensable in all the vicinity of the festival.
On the occasion, the officials assured the Tourism Advisor to work round the clock with all their abilities for the success of the Shandoor Polo Festival and clarified that they will not disappoint the provincial government at any stage because the development of tourism will help the province prosper and flourish economically.