CHITRAL, July 9: Chitral on Monday beat Gilgit by five goals after an exciting match here to clinch the Shandur Polo Festival trophy.

More than 50,000 people from all parts of the country watched the match at the highest polo ground of the world.

Foreigners, including diplomats, also showed up in large numbers. Noted among them was the Argentinean ambassador.

In the first half, the Gilgit team scored a goal but the Chitral team levelled the score shortly. The Gilgit team later went into the lead but Chitral scored an equaliser only after two minutes. Thereafter, the Chitral team scored four more goals by the half time.

In the second half, Gilgit played nervously and lost the match to Chitral 10-5.

Governor of Gilgit-Baltistan Pir Syed Karam Ali Shah gave away prizes to winners and runner-ups.

Addressing the prize distribution ceremony, the governor said the people of Chitral and Gilgit had friendly relations with each other due to common culture, historical background, folk heritage and ways of life. He added that the Shandur Polo Festival strengthened these ties over centuries.

Mr Shah said a project was being launched for revival of polo in Gilgit and Chitral.

“It (project) will help and encourage people to raise horses for the game fast dying due to the absence of the government’s effective patronage,” he said.

About the dispute between Gilgit and Chitral over ownership of Shandur Top, he said the area should be used to promote polo like before instead of dividing the people of the two regions.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa sports minister Aqil Shah, who was also in attendance, enumerated the efforts of the government for promotion of tourism in the province.

He said the previous provincial government led by Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal had banned the holding of Shandur Polo Festival and it was the current government that revived the festival.

The minister criticised the present and former prime minister for not attending the festival over the last five years despite being invited by the provincial government.