GB and Chitral to jointly Host Shandur Festival

Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral would host the upcoming Shandur gala without any change in the status of controversy over the ownership of Shandur area, which prompted the GB government to boycott the historic event last year, a local news portal reports.

According to Dardistan Times, the secretary Kashmir and Northern Areas Affair (KANA) has briefed the Chief Minister of Gilgit-Baltistan that Shandur Festival will be hosted by Ghizar District of Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral of KP. The Deputy Commissioner (DC) of Ghizar and the District Coordinating Officer (DCO) of Chitral will lead the team to make arrangements for the Grand Gala in Shandur, the highest Polo ground in the world.

Mehdi Shah will be inaugurating the Gala while the Prime Minister of Pakistan, Mr. Gilani and Chief Minister of KP, Azam Hoti will be the guests at the Final.

The Festival will kick off in the second week of July, showcasing the famous free style polo of the Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral.

Last year, Gilgit-Baltistan government had boycotted the festival when dialogue on the ownership of the Shandur sporting arena reached an impasse. However, Mehdi Shah’s government decided to end the boycott without any substantive change in the status of controversy over the ownership.