Shandur festival lures tourists to world’s ‘highest polo ground’

ISLAMABAD: Local and foreign tourists continued to flock northern Pakistan on Sunday to participate in the three-day Shandur polo festival taking place in the picturesque Chitral district of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) province.
The event, which is conducted every year, was inaugurated by KP Chief Minister Mahmood Khan and Inspector General of frontier corps Maj. Gen. Rahat Naseem Khan.
As part of his address at the ceremony, Khan said that “we welcome all tourists and wish for them to have a good time in Shandur.”
Shandur Pass is positioned between Chitral and Ghizer in Pakistan’s mountainous northern belt. The festival is held at a polo ground considered the highest polo field in the world at approximately 3,800 meters above sea level.
Shandur Polo ground is also called the “Roof of the World,” and the game itself the “Kings Game” held annually since 1936, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s tourist department said. The Tourism Corporation Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) has made elaborate arrangements for the festival and set up a special village to accommodate domestic and foreign tourists.
The three-day festival will continue till July 9.
Pakistan International Airlines will operate special flights from Islamabad to Chitral to facilitate tourists: “The battle is about to begin, have you geared up for it? Book your flights to the North with PIA now and get ready to witness an amazing game of polo up in the Hindukush Mountains,” PIA said in tweet on Sunday.
KP Tourism Minister Atif Khan said he would himself monitor all the arrangements for the polo tournament.