GILGIT: The first five-day national ice sports competitions concluded in Ghulkin village of the Upper Hunza area on Sunday.

The Altit SCARF team became the National Ice Hockey, 2022, champion defeating the Ghulkin Winter Club 2-0.

The SCARF won all its matches. It defeated the Ghulkin Winter Club 2-0, Yasin Janbaz 3-0 and GB Scouts 3-0.

The event was organised by the Ghulkin Winter Club in collaboration with the Pakistan Winter Sports Federation.

A total of 20 teams of men and women from Punjab, Sindh, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, GB Scouts, PAF, Skardu, Yasin Ghizer, Khalti Ghizer, Nagar, Altit Hunza, Ghulkin Hunza, Karimabad Hunza and Chipurson Hunza participated in the ice skating, ice hockey, ice football and ice polo contests.

The concluding ceremony was attended by Force Commander of the Force Command Northern Areas Major-General Jawwad Ahmad, GB senior minister retired Colonel Ubaidullah Baig, chief secretary retired Captain Mohammad Asif, GB Winter Sports Federation president retired Colonel Amjad Wali, civil and military officials, and winter sports fans.

The five-day national ice sports competitions had started in Gulkin on Jan 18.

Handicraft and Food Street were set up during the festival, elders danced to traditional music.

Prizes, models and certificates were distributed on the occasion.

Three and a half years old Mahnoor from Hoper valley of Nagar district became the first girl to participate in the competitions. She got the silver medal in the ice skating competition.

Earlier, the week-long Karakoram Winterlude-4 competition concluded in the Altit area of Hunza.

The events of ice hockey, ice climbing, mountain cycling and other winter sports were part of it. The concluding ceremony was held in Altit of Hunza, where Force Commander of the Force Command Northern Areas Major-General Jawwad Ahmad was the chief guest.

Minister retired Colonel Ubaidullah Baig, government officials and a large number of people attended it.

Published in Dawn, January 25th, 2022