CHITRAL, Oct 20: Shahzada Fatehul Mulk Ali Nasir was enthroned as the new mehtar (ruler) of Chitral Shahzada Fatehul Mulk Ali Nasir during a special ceremony in the royal fort here on Thursday.

In line with the royal traditions, Mr Nasir was presented the royal cloak and sword, while the royal turban was wrapped around his head before he himself seated in the royal chair.

Present on the occasion, elders and members of the royal family formally recognised the prince's coronation by kissing his hand one by one.

Member of the National Assembly from Chitral Shahzada Mohyuddin, who was also in attendance, kissed the hand of the new ruler as a token of recognition.

A coronation ceremony was last held in 1954 when the last ruler of the Katoor dynasty, Saiful Mulk Nasir, succeeded his father, Saifur Rehman, after his death in a plane crash in Lowari Top.

Noted among the royal family members present on the occasion were Brigadier Shahzada Shujaul Mulk, Shahzada Sikandarul Mulk, Shahzada Khosh Ahmadul Mulk, Shahzada Riaz Jilani, Shahzada Ziauddin Ali, Shahzada Tanvirul Mulk, Shahzada Fahamul Mulk, Shahzada Iftikhar and Shahzada Idress.

Shahzada Idrees offered the new ruler some valuable articles of the family, including jewellery, antiques and gold, in line with royal traditions.

Leading the members of the royal family in a procession, the new Chitral ruler later visited the tomb of his father in a corner of the fort.

The fort's doors were opened to the people for the coronation ceremony for the first time after the annexation of the former state of Chitral with Pakistan in 1969.

Mr Nasir was born on November 27, 1983 and recently got his LL.M. degree from a US university and is unmarried.

He will hold the position only as a token as the writ of the Katoor dynasty virtually ended after the state's annexation with Pakistan.