Latest news with #Chitral
Business Recorder
23-06-2025
- Sport
- Business Recorder
Chitral wins Shandur Polo Festival 2025
PESHAWAR: Chitral polo team on Sunday won the Shandur polo festival 2025 by defeating Gilgit team in the final amid applause by thousands of spectators. The thunder of hooves echoed through Shandur as team Chitral emerged victorious, lifting the trophy in front of a roaring crowd. Chitral A team, once again upholding its tradition, defeated Gilgit A team by 9 goals to 7. However, this year, the Gilgit A team delivered a much-improved performance compared to previous years through aggressive field play. The Chitral defense however successfully repulsed the Gilgit team attacks and saved several goals. The final match started with high speed and Chitral teams outclassed the rival through better coordinated team efforts. This historic annual polo clash was played at 12,000 ft on the world's highest polo ground. The festival started on Friday last. The national flags were hoisted flying high and spectators took keen interest in cultural and food stalls. Copyright Business Recorder, 2025
Express Tribune
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Express Tribune
Shandur Polo Festival kicks off in highlands
Spectators soak in the thrill and tradition as Gilgit and Chitral face off in a freestyle polo match at the world's highest polo ground during the Shandur Polo Festival. photo: APP The historic and culturally significant Shandur Polo Festival has officially commenced at Shandur, the world's highest polo ground, situated at an altitude of 12,000 feet. The three-day event is being jointly organized by the K-P Tourism Authority, army, and Chitral Scouts. The first day featured a thrilling polo match between Chitral's Sar Laspur and Ghizer team of Gilgit-Baltistan, with Sar Laspur clinching victory by 6-3. Over the course of the festival, traditional rivals from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan will engage in spirited polo matches, drawing large crowds of local and international tourists to the scenic highlands of Shandur.
Arab News
20-06-2025
- Sport
- Arab News
Pakistan's Shandur Polo Festival kicks off at world's highest ground, draws global tourists
PESHAWAR: Pakistan's annual Shandur Polo Festival began Friday at an altitude of 12,000 feet in the country's mountainous north, with officials calling it a celebration of culture, sportsmanship and peace that draws tourists from around the world. Held each year at the Shandur Pass in Upper Chitral, the three-day festival features traditional freestyle polo matches between teams from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan, alongside folk music, camping, paragliding and cultural exhibitions. The event is considered a major tourist attraction and is played on what is often described as the highest polo ground in the world. 'Shandur Polo is one of our most important cultural sports, played at 12,000 feet,' said Syed Fakhar Jahan, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa's Minister for Sports and Youth Affairs, at the opening ceremony, according to an official statement. 'Spectators and tourists from around the world come to witness this unique event,' he added. 'We welcome them all.' The festival sees teams from Gilgit and Chitral compete in fast-paced, no-holds-barred matches played without umpires, a throwback to the region's centuries-old polo traditions. Officials say the event aims to foster unity and harmony between the two regions, which share historical ties and a friendly sporting rivalry. 'Such activities send a message of peace to the world,' the provincial minister said. 'Pakistanis are a people who cherish their cultural heritage, and this festival reflects that spirit.'
Arab News
05-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Arab News
‘A flower snatched from us': Family demands justice for murdered TikTok influencer
KARACHI: The father of a teenage Pakistani TikTok influencer shot dead this week in Islamabad said on Wednesday he had wanted her to join the bureaucracy, but she had set her sights on the medical field to serve the people of Pakistan. Sana Yousaf, 17, was shot dead at her home on Monday evening by another social media influencer, 22-year-old Umar Hayat, after she rejected his repeated advances, Islamabad Police chief Syed Ali Nasir Rizvi told reporters on Tuesday. Originally from Chitral, around 400 kilometers north of the capital, Yousaf had 1.1 million followers on TikTok and over 600,000 on Instagram. Her videos ranged from lip-syncing to songs to food tastings and makeup tutorials. The last clip posted to her TikTok account— a montage of her birthday celebration with friends— has already garnered 18.6 million views. 'My wish was for her to go on to do CSS [Central Superior Services],' Syed Yousuf Hasan, her father, told Arab News by phone from his ancestral village of Chuing in Chitral. 'But she insisted that she wanted to go into the medical field so that she could serve her country, Pakistan, and its people more,' he continued. 'That was her dream.' Yousaf was pursuing her goal of becoming a doctor and was enrolled in the Faculty of Science (FSc), a two-year pre-university qualification at the intermediate level. 'She was intelligent, talented and cheerful, and her presence would light up any gathering,' Hasan, a government officer, said. 'She was like a son to me, like a brave son.' Yousaf had been expected to travel to Chitral to celebrate Eid Al-Adha with her family. Hasan said she was especially close to him, her mother and her younger brother. Her uncle, Syed Kausar Ali Shah, described her as an 'exceptionally talented child' with a strong sense of purpose. 'She had a vision and used to say, 'Our parents have invested in us, and we will repay that by serving our ancestral region.'' 'NO FORGIVENESS' On Wednesday, an Islamabad district and sessions court remanded Hayat in judicial custody for 14 days, according to a police spokesperson. Yousaf's murder has sparked renewed outrage over women's safety in Pakistan. Activists and rights groups criticized social media users for victim-blaming the teenager as news of her killing broke. Violence against women is frequently reported in Pakistan, especially in cases involving rejected marriage proposals or women active on social media platforms like TikTok. Feminist groups and civil society activists have announced protests in several cities on Thursday to demand accountability for Yousaf's murder. Hasan, too, is seeking justice. 'If someone enters your home and kills, then there should be no forgiveness for that person,' he said. 'Our demand is that he be punished publicly in the same way he treated us.' Shah said the family and the people of Chitral were proud of Yousaf for standing her ground. 'She was our whole world,' he said, his voice breaking. 'She was a flower that was snatched from us.'
CTV News
04-06-2025
- Entertainment
- CTV News
A Pakistani man accused of killing a young TikTok influencer appears in court
ISLAMABAD — A Pakistani man accused of killing a 17-year-old TikTok influencer after she rejected his offer of friendship made his first court appearance Wednesday, officials and police said. Suspect Umar Hayat, 22, who also creates content on TikTok, was arrested Tuesday by Islamabad police in Faisalabad, an industrial city in eastern Punjab province. He is accused of shooting Sana Yousuf, who had more than one million followers on social media. The killing earlier this week in Islamabad drew widespread condemnation. TV footage showed Hayat with his face covered as he was brought to court, where police requested additional time to complete their investigation and file formal murder charges. The judge ordered that Hayat be presented again on June 18 for pretrial proceedings. Yousuf, originally from the scenic northern region of Chitral, was known for promoting traditional Chitrali music and dress through her videos. She also advocated for girls' education. TikTok has more than 60 million users in Pakistan, many of them young women and teenagers. Hours before her murder, she had posted a photo celebrating her birthday with friends. The Associated Press
