Shandur Polo Festival: GB-B Defeated Chitral-B In An Exciting Match

News Desk

Chitral: On the second day of the Shandur Polo Festival on Saturday, the Chitral B team suffered an unfortunate defeat in the gripping match between the Gilgit Baltistan B team and the Chitral B team which was watched by hundreds of thousands of cheering spectators.

Gilgit Baltistan (GB) Scouts Director General Arslan Asrar Mirza opened the match by throwing the ball, followed by the two teams raiding each other’s defense with some outbursts.

The riders exhibited their classes in a free-for-all match without rules, throwing the full-force balls from one end to the other. The GB team defeated the Chitral Body Guard team by five goals to two. The closing ceremony of the festival will be held on Sunday.

As per usual, a sizable crowd from both Chitral and Gilgit Baltistan will see the teams from GB and Chitral battle in the much-anticipated final. A large number of tourists came to enjoy the three-day Shandur Polo Festival. The second day of the festival was filled with excitement and celebration as a large crowd of local and foreign visitors flocked to the picturesque Chitral region to watch the Polo matches being played on the highest altitude Polo venue known as the world rooftop.

It is worth mentioning that the Shandur Polo Ground is situated at a level elevation of 3800m, known as the ‘Roof of the World’, and the King Game has been held annually since 1936.

The festival was jointly organised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority, the Pakistan Army, the Frontier Corps, and the district administration. All the necessary arrangements have been made to facilitate and assist tourists.

Ample lodging facilities have been made available for visitors, and tourism police and guides have also been deployed. Moreover, camping pods have been installed and are available for tourists, and the helpline of the tourism authority is also operational.On the second day of the festival, a number of vibrant events have also been planned, including paragliding, food stands, and traditional dances. Additionally, stalls have been set up to display and promote the creative works of local Chitral and Gilgit artists and craftspeople.

In the evening, a Chitral cultural night was organized in which various local artists sang traditional and cultural songs to entertain the audience and promote the rich culture of the area. Regional Police Officer (RPO) Malakand Nasir Mehmood Satti visited Chitral on Saturday and reviewed security arrangements for the ongoing festival.

Nasir Mehmood also visited the tourist facilitation center at Lowari Tunnel and inquired about the services being provided to visitors. The District Police Officer (DPO) briefed the RPO about working and operational matters at the tourist facilitation center.

Satti also met with personnel of the tourist police and directed them to assist tourists in a professional manner and meet their expectations.

Pictures credit: China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) facebook page