CHITRAL: A dispute between the local polo association and the district administration over the selection of players for the five teams representing Chitral region in the three-day Shandur Festival has been resolved amicably.

The tournament is scheduled to commence from June 20. Polo association president Shahzada Sikandarul Mulk confirmed to Dawn that a notification issued to this effect earlier had been revised as per the recommendations of the selection committee, which was tasked with selecting players for different teams based on their performance in the pre-Shandur polo tournament concluded last week.

Mr Mulk said that as per the practice, the selection committee members were notified by the district administration as recommended by the association before the tournament, and this year too it was put in place accordingly.

However, he regretted that the district administration manipulated the notification by changing the players and their teams arbitrarily, which was unacceptable for the association at any cost, and the concern was conveyed to the administration during a meeting with the acting deputy commissioner on Saturday evening.

He said that the list of the selection committee was restored by the administration and a new notification was issued on the basis of it.

Lower Chitral acting deputy commissioner Abdul Salam also confirmed to Dawn that the notification issued a day earlier had been withdrawn, and new one was issued, according to which, the Chitral ‘A’ team will be captained by Israr Wali Khan, and comprise Shahzad Ahmed Shaji, Izhar Ali Khan, Ilyas Ahmed, Adnan and Nasirullah.

The team ‘B’ team will comprise Asghar Hussain alias Body (captain), Arbab Quli Khan, Mirajuddin, Alhajur Rehman, Azhar Suhail and Khuda Bakhsh, while Shamim Ahmed (captain), Ziaur Rehman, Imaduddin, Sohail Ahmed, Sohail Ayub and Raza Quli Khan will play for team ‘C’.

The team ‘D’ will be represented by Sher Nadeemul Mulk (captain), Juned Ali Shah, Haroon Ali Shah, Shiekh Farooq, Saidul Jan and Mubashir Alam.

Sikandarul Mulk said that due to the delay in the notification of the teams by the district administration, the nominated players had lost time in making it to the venue, where at least a week’s time was required for acclimatisation of both players and their horses.

Published in Dawn, June 15th, 2025