Decision to cancel Chitral festival slammed

By Sadia Qasim Shah

PESHAWAR: Residents of Chitral valley are disappointed at the NWFP government’s decision for not holding the Jashn-i-Chitral annual festival next month.

At a time when one of the most sought-after tourist destinations, Swat valley, has become like a ‘no-go’ area for local and foreign tourists due to clashes between security forces and militants, the peaceful Chitral valley has immense potential to attract tourists, local tourist operators said.

Shamsuddin, chief Chitral Association for Mountainous Areas Tourism who also heads the management committee for the festival, said that when they heard that the event was being ‘cancelled’ due to law and order situation in other districts, “it really disheartened us”.

A week earlier, the provincial government had planned to hold the festival from October 11-15 and Syed Aqil Shah, provincial minister for tourism and culture, while presiding over a meeting to review the arrangements for the event announced that NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Hoti would be invited to watch the final football match as chief guest.

The Sarhad Tourism Corporation (STC) had offered to introduce a new track at Kalash valley as well as a trout fishing competition for tourists on the occasion. However, after consultations with the district government, first it was cancelled and later decided to ‘postpone’ the event in view of security situation in Dir and Swat.

The locals of Chitral called it a ‘politicised’ and unwise decision. One local, associated with the tourism business, said that District Nazim Maghfirat Shah hailed from the conservative Jamaat-i-Islami and, therefore, he was not in favour of holding the event. However, the district nazim, despite repeated phone calls, could not be contacted for comments.

DCO Mukhtasim Billah Shah said that Chitral was a peaceful valley and holding such events was healthy activity. However, he said the provincial government was consulting the district government on holding the event as the main organiser was the provincial government.

Earlier, residents said, it was the Broghil festival which got cancelled due to security concerns and now “it is the Jashn-i-Chitral, which has been postponed by the government”. This would deprive the people of Chitral who depend on tourism and such events provided them opportunities to earn their livelihood, they added.

The festival has been celebrated in the valley for the last four years. It comprises various activities including tug-of-war, cultural and music shows, poetry sessions, traditional dances and adventure tourism events. It is being planned by the provincial sports, tourism and culture department with the support of the district government.

“If an event provides a healthy environment to the youth and income generation opportunity to the locals and encourages development projects, there seems no reason not to hold it,” said Shamsuddin. He said that the festival, which was not held for 20 years, was revived in 2004 and held successfully every year since then. “Majority of the people of the area are poor and this is an income generating opportunity for them,” he said.

He said that Chitral was a peaceful tourist destination, which was beautiful and peaceful. “When there is peace in Chitral, then why not to hold the festival,” he said, adding that there was no logical reason for cancelling or postponing the event. He said that locals associated with the tourism industry were making preparation to hold the festival despite the government’s recent decision.

“It does not suite us to hold a festival when the situation in Swat and Dir districts is not good,” said Provincial Minister Syed Aqil Shah, adding that the Jashn-i-Chitral had been postponed until indefinite period.--Dawn