CHITRAL: Nauroz festival, locally called Pathak Dik, was celebrated in the valleys of Garam Chashma, Arkari, Karimbabad, Yarkhun and Laspur here on Wednesday.

The festival is celebrated at the advent of spring season as before that the residents were virtually confined to their houses due to snowfall during the three months of winter season.

Houses were renovated and decorated on this occasion while the people passed the time in merry-making, visiting each other and exchanging gifts. Sweet bread called Shoshpalaki is specially prepared for the occasion and distributed among the visitors.

Traditional sports competitions form the main part of the festivities while local cuisine was another attraction on the day.

Mohammad Yaqub, member of district council from Karimabad, told this scribe on phone that the event had been organised by Kari-mabad Development Organisation.

TRADERS UNION: Shabbir Ahmed panel defeated Tajir Dost Ittehad, led by Bashir Hussain, by 116 votes in the elections of Tajir Union, Chitral. The organisers told mediapersons that the elections were held after every five years. They said that the traders showed keen interest in the elections as the turnout stood at over 90 per cent of the 2,858 members.

Meanwhile, Alkhidmat Disaster Response Centre was inaugurated in Chitral on Wednesday by district nazim Maghfirat Shah.

On this occasion, Mr Shah praised the contribution of Alkhidmat Foundation and recalled that volunteers of such organisations had provided commodities of daily use to over 4,000 people of Bumburate valley in 2015. He asked the organisers to form groups of volunteers on village council level.

Published in Dawn, March 22nd, 2018