PESHAWAR
Secretary Tourism, Culture, Sports, Archeology, Museums and Youth Affairs Muhammad Tahir Orakzai on Friday formally inaugurated three-day Shandur Polo Festival after a gap of two years.
Addressing the inaugural ceremony, Muhammad Tahir Orakzai said the festival had acclaimed international fame attracting thousands of foreign and local tourists every year, adding that the provincial government was keen to promote the tourism sector in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and attract foreign investment in the sector.
Tahir Orakzai said that Malakand division was the ideal place for the festival and the provincial department with all other concerned stockholders made the festival possible, adding that regional teams have been formed to make the cultural festival a successful event and promote the cultural and tourism in best possible way.
Director General Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority Muhammad Abid Khan Wazir, Headquarters XI Corps Peshawar, district administration Lower and Upper Chitral, Gilgit-Baltistan officials, Rescue 1122, NLC officials were also present on the occasion.
A three-day Shandor Polo Festival has been organized the provincial government in collaboration with Culture and Tourism Authority, Headquarters XI Corps Peshawar, Frontier Core-north, district administration of Chitral Upper and Lower and NLC.
On this occasion, the Abbottabad-based paraglider, Pakistan Army KSG Commandos gave a spectacular performance of para-trooping.
The youth of Gilgit-Baltistan and Kailash Valley performed a traditional rak’ahs in the innaguration.
Secretary Tourism Tahir Orakzai said that the mountain range of Malakand Division was an ideal location for adventure tourism and the provincial government, tourism department and tourism authority were working together to promote it.
On the opening day of the festival, a match was played between the teams of Laspor and Ghazar.
A concert featuring traditional music from KP and Gilgit-Baltistan was also organized for the tourists visiting the festival.
