CHITRAL, 22 Oct 09: Any one who has visited Chitral and stayed at the PTDC hotel could not have missed on the short statured burly Muhammad Saleem Khan. Saleem, as he is known, has been associated with the hotel since it's establishment in the seventies, is now retired and takes time to talk about his past life.

An interesting episode which Saleem came up with and was verified by different sources, was, how he 'fought' for the glory of Chitral. It was the year 1965 he says, and the annual grand festival 'Jashne Khyber' was on in Peshawar. On the final day of the fair, there was a wrestling competition event in which the famous wrestler Makha Singh beat all competitors in the field and then in full pride challenged any one from among the audience who could dare face him. Saleem, then in his twenties and an attendant of the commissioner Peshawar, stood up and accepted the challenge.

Seeing a non professional average guy standing up to challenge a proven wrestler drew much cheers and jeers from the crowd , he says. Saleem grappled with the giant for a few moments and then with a smart 'arhangi' (deiki nezik) which he had learnt in Chitral, he says, he brought the wrestler stumbling down to the floor. The field roared with applause and Saleem was declared the winner. Chitral's Member West Pakistan Assembly Ataliq Jafar Ali Shah who was amongst the dignitaries present, went upto him and embraced him. With a stroke of dare and chivalry Saleem had  become 'the Chitrali Palawan' for the viewing crowds. "Later, after the show was over, the Ataliq called me over to his residence at the Shahi Mehman Khana and gave me Rs 1000/- as a special prize for doing proud to Chitral", Saleem says.

Saleem, now in his seventies, says he served as attendant with six Commissioners before joining the PTDC from where he has retired some years back and is leading a hand to mouth life at his home in Kari village of Chitral. He says he is still fit and willing to take up any suitable job offered to him.  --(CN report)

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