CHITRAL: A local polo association on Friday declared that a polo body recently notified by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) represented only government-sponsored teams and held no jurisdiction or connection to the region’s civilian players.

Addressing a crowded news conference at Chitral Press Club, Indigenous Polo Association’s general secretary Khalilur Rehman Advocate, finance secretary Mustafizur Rehman, and senior polo players – retired Col Shahzada Sharifuddin, Mohammad Ayub, Syedullah Khan, Sheikh Farooq, and Siraj – asserted that their organisation remained the sole democratic representative platform for civilian polo players across Chitral.

According to them, the Indigenous Polo Association operates under an elected body dedicated to promoting the traditional and cultural sport. They clarified that Shahzada Sikanderul Mulk serves as the president of the association, having been repeatedly elected through a democratic process.

The polo body’s representatives said that a meeting was recently convened, drawing around 55 prominent polo players and association members from Chitral Town, Lotkoh and Barnas. During the session, members unanimously ratified that the indigenous body is a completely separate entity from the newly notified KPCTA association.

While drawing a clear line of distinction, the senior players warmly welcomed the involvement of top military leadership in the region’s sports landscape and expressed appreciation for the decisions of the Peshawar corps commander, the inspector general of Frontier Corps, and the commandant Chitral Scouts to patronise the government-notified association.

The speakers noted that the patronage of these high-ranking officials will play a highly prominent and positive role in elevating the sport. However, they emphasised that the rights of independent civilian players must be protected, and the autonomy of Chitral’s traditional, local-level polo association must be fully upheld.

APPOINTED: In a significant development for regional sports, the president of Pakistan International Veteran Football Federation (PIVFF) has appointed Hussain Ahmed as general secretary of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Veteran Football Association.

Ahmed, a celebrated former footballer from Chitral and ex-president of the District Football Association, Chitral, brings a wealth of administrative and on-field experience to the prestigious provincial role.

According to an official notification, the appointment has been made for two years.

Published in Dawn, September 26th, 2026