The teams of Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral’s districts will participate in the event. Preparations have been finalized to organize the Shandur Polo festival at the world’s highest polo ground.
The National Logistics Cell (NLC) and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) for the Shandur Polo Festival which will be held from July 1st to July 3rd this year.
Manager Events Hassina Shaukat on behalf of the Director-General KPCTA Muhammad Abid Khan, and General Manager Corporate Communications and Marketing NLC – Syed Ali Tabraiz Bokhari signed the MoU which aimed at the sponsorship for the Shandur Polo Festival between NLC and KPCTA.
“KPCTA envisages promoting Sustainable Tourism in the province through a public-private partnership which will ensure the conservation of existing and promotion of new tourism sites,” DG Tourism Authority Abid Khan said on the occasion.
The teams of Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral’s districts will participate in it under ‘freestyle rules’. Preparations have been finalized to organize the Shandur Polo festival at the world’s highest polo ground.
Gilgit Baltistan’s polo tournament
Earlier, NLC had organized a three-day Polo Tournament in the scenic Phander Valley, in Ghizer District, Gilgit Baltistan. The tournament kicked off on June 22.
Important to note that ‘freestyle polo’ is exclusively played in Gilgit Baltistan and Chitral. However, due to COVID-19 restrictions, no sporting event had been organized in Phandar Valley since 2020. NLC sponsored the polo tournament to promote healthy sporting activities in the region.
NLC is also developing infrastructure in the region. NLC has officially begun work on the Gilgit-Shandur Road. The road will serve as an alternative to the strategic Karakoram Highway besides linking the pristine valleys in the region.
once completed, the Gilgit-Shandur road will be a game-changer. The CPEC standard road will give a boost to Pakistan’s tourism industry. As a result, the living standards of the people of Gilgit-Baltistan will improve. Moreover, travel time between Gilgit and Shandur valley will be reduced from 7 hours to 4 hours only.