Daily Times

A three-day polo festival at the highest polo ground of Shandur ended with Chitral as victorious after defeating Gilgit team by one goal.

The highest polo festival resumed after two years gap due to COVID-19. The festival was organized by the administration of Chitral, in which thousands of tourist and polo lovers attended at Shahndur, located at the altitude of 3,700 meters above sea level and famous as roof of the world.

The three-day polo festival ended with defense of the title by Chitral team after a close contest where the Chitral team scored 10 goals against 9 by the Gilgit team. Amher Sohail, who attended the festival, said that freestyle polo seems dangerous but players played it with traditional rules, we saw no empire in the game. Salman Paras, assistant director tourism department said that the festival kicked off on the 1st of July where more than one dozen polo teams from Chitral and Gilgit participated. “Polo attracts tourists from all over the world to Gilgit Baltistan and Northern Pakistan due to its freestyle” he added.

The festival also exhibits traditional, cultural, and adventurous activities including music and dance in the evening at the world’s highest polo ground at Shandur. Northern Pakistan like Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral needs more attention from the government to explore its beauty, Sohail told daily times. He said “it was a source of joy and excitement to be in the world’s polo festival with lush green and scenic views”. The final tournament was followed by a traditional sword dance and cultural dance of Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral. The paragliders and paratroopers received special tributes from the spectators.