HARIPUR: The five-day Kaag cultural festival concluded here the other day. The district sports office and district administration jointly organised the event to entertain the people of Kaag village, a stronghold of the local Gujjar tribe.

Advisor to the chief minister for sports and youth affairs Syed Fakhar Jehan had inaugurated the festival on June 6 in the presence of local MPA Malik Adeel Iqbal.

Divisional sports officer Ahmad Zaman said the cultural event known as Kaag festival is held every year topromote local cultural spots, encourage the new talent and entertain the locals especially the farming community with traditional sports activities being played for centuries in the area.

He said that the purpose of such festivals was to encourage and promote area specific cultural sports as the provincial government was committed to investing in youths and sports so that they could be engaged in positive activities.

During the festival, hundreds of sports lovers from across the district and other parts of Hazara Division and KP showed up to watch tent pegging, stone lifting, wrestling and bull race contests.

Marathon races, gymnastic competitions and qawali were also part of the festival.

Published in Dawn, June 12th, 2024