PESHAWAR
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Mahmood Khan has directed timely arrangements for successful organization of the Broghil festival in Chitral.
In a statement on Sunday, the chief minister directed the tourism department to start in-time preparations for the two-day festival starting from 5th of next month.
Mahmood Khan also directed the concerned authorities to extend maximum facilitation to the participants of the festival and visiting tourists. The festival will be held at Broghil National Park situated in the extreme north of district Upper Chitral.
It will showcase various activities including yak, horse and donkey polo, Buzkashi, tug-of-war, wrestling, marathon race, cricket, football and many other traditional games. Special tent village will also be set up for tourists.
The two-day Broghil Festival will kick off from September 5 in Upper Chitral district. Being organised by the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Department and the administration of Upper Chitral district, the festival will showcase various activities, including horse and yak polo, cricket, football, Buzkashi, marathon race, tug-of-war, wrestling, music and other traditional games.
Buzkashi is the ancient Asian game in which a dead goat is being pulled by the player while riding on a horse. The yak race, yak polo, fireworks, traditional music and traditional food shows will be the main features of the festival.
Proper arrangements are being made for highlighting different aspects of the ancient and unique Wakhi culture. A tent village will be established in Broghil to facilitate the participants and tourists.
Broghil is the home of Chiantar glacier surrounded by many other glaciers, which feed the Chitral River while the Kuramber Lake is said to be a biologically active lake supporting a wide range of diversity.
The Broghil valley, bordering the Wakhan Corridor of Afghanistan, is situated about 250km from Chitral city. Its extended glaciers, incredible wildlife, scattered wetlands, rich wilderness, green meadows and mighty mountains are the main tourism potential of the area.
Established in 2010, the Broghil National Park is a treasure of wild indigenous and migratory fauna especially of Pamirian and Siberian bird species. The valley has about 30 freshwater lakes of various sizes, which present breathtaking sights.
