Five-day Jashn-i-Chitral from Oct 11

PESHAWAR, Sept 8: NWFP Minister for Sports, Culture and Tourism Syed Aqil Shah has said Jashn-i-Chitral will be held with traditional zeal and enthusiasm from October 11 to October 15 wherein besides arranging programmes of tourists' interest like tug of war, folk music, poetry, traditional Chitrali dance and adventure tourism events, Chitral Youth Football Mela will also be held.
He expressed these views while presiding over a review meeting regarding arrangements for Jashn-i-Chitral 2008 at Peshawar on Monday.
Besides others, Secretary Sports NWFP Sahibzada Fazle Amin, Director General Sports Iltaf Umerzai, GM STC Mushtaq Khan and Chairman CAMAT Sirajul Mulk attended the meeting.
Syed Aqil Shah said for successful holding of the festival, arrangements should be started immediately.
He said on the last day of Jashn-i-Chitral, NWFP Chief Minister Amir Haider Khan Hoti would witness the final of Chitral Youth Football Mela as chief guest and distribute prizes among the players.
General Manager STC Mushtaq Khan informed the meeting that STC would introduce new track at Kalash valley as well as trout fishing competition for tourists on the occasion while through proper projection it could become the second biggest touristi event of NWFP after Shandur Mela.
An organizing committee under the chairmanship of Secretary Tourism was formed with Muhammad Ali Shah as its secretary , while GM STC, Director General Sports, a representative of NWFP Sports Department, two representatives of STC have been included in the sub-committee.
Syed Aqil Shah directed the Secretary Tourism and organizing secretary of the committee to present a detailed progamme about the festival within a week. The minister said the age of players wishing to participate in the Mela should not exceed 25 years.
He said NWFP Football Association would provide technical backup on the occasion of football mela. He said in future the property of STC would be given on lease for a longer period as in past the lease time of three years had proved harmful for the property.--APP