CHITRAL: The three-day Broghil festival concluded at an altitude of 13,500 feet in Upper Chitral district here on Monday.

The district administration had organised the festival, which featured games of yak, horse and donkey polo, Buzkashi, horse and yak races, horse and cattle show, exhibition of cuisine and handicraft of Wakhi culture and Wakhi musical concerts.

A large number of tourists from different parts of Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan participated in the event, which was held in the sports stadium constructed by the Aga Khan Agency for Habitat.

The yak polo final was played between the teams of Garil and Pes Aus villages of Garam Chashma with the latter winning by one goal.

The most enthralling event was Buzkashi – where a horse rider carrying a goat carcass completes a round circuit defending him against opponent riders – was clinched by Sher Khan of Garil village.

The local cuisine show also attracted people in numbers.

Malakand division commissioner Shahidullah, Upper Chitral deputy commissioner Khalid Zaman, district police officer Mohammad Aleem Jan and officers of Chitral Scouts gave away trophies and prizes to the players of different games.

On the occasion, Mr Shahidullah said the aim of holding the festival was to attract tourists to the area having glaciers and lakes surrounded by biodiversity to generate incomes for the poverty-stricken people.

He said the government planned to include the festival in the calendar of events.

The local residents, including former village nazim Amin Jan Tajik, appreciated the district administration for holding the festival, which exposed the remote valley to the outer world.

They emphasised the need for exploiting the tourism potential of the valley to open avenues of revenue generation for residents of Broghil, which remains inaccessible during the five months of the extended winter.

Published in Dawn, September 5th, 2023