Chief Secretary Directs Ensuring Best Arrangements For Shandur Polo Festival

Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr. Shahzad Khan Bangash has directed authorities concerned to ensure best arrangements for the historic Shandur Polo Festival

PESHAWAR, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 16th Jun, 2022 ) :Chief Secretary Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Dr. Shahzad Khan Bangash has directed authorities concerned to ensure best arrangements for the historic Shandur Polo Festival.

He issued these directives while presiding over a review meeting held in Civil Secretariat here on Thursday regarding preparations for Shandur Festival.

The meeting was attended by administrative secretaries of Home, Tourism, Information, Communication & Works departments and Director General KP Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) while Commissioner Malakand, Regional Police Officer, Deputy Commissioners and District Police Officers of Upper and Lower Chitral participated through video link.

DG KPCTA informed the meeting that Shandur Polo Festival would be held from July 1 to July 3 this year after a two-year break due to Covid-19 pandemic. He elaborated that a tent village was being set up around the world's highest polo ground at an altitude of 12,600 feet, wherein boarding and lodging facilities would be provided to both foreign and domestic tourists.

He added that local cultures including music and Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan's performing art would be displayed besides setting up stalls.

DG KPCTA further said that this festival has been held regularly every year since 1936.

The Chief Secretary asked commissioner Malakand, deputy commissioners Upper and Lower Chitral to complete preparations in collaboration with all stakeholders and make best possible arrangements for the festival. Besides other arrangements, he directed to set up information desks for facilitation of national and international tourists.

Dr. Shahzad Khan Bangash said that special security measures be taken for the festival starting from July 1, including the deployment of female police personnel.

The Chief Secretary said that besides polo matches for tourists, other recreational and cultural activities should also be arranged.