CHITRAL, 30 Mar 07: The communities in Upper Chitral will celebrate Jashan-e-Qaqlasht 2007 [Qaqlasht festival] as ‘Visit Pakistan Year’. The festival was revived after a long suspension with assistance from CAMAT and DCCN two years ago. The sporting and cultural activities of the festival are traditionally implemented by Jashan-e-Qaqlasht Committee comprising of members drawn equally from all the villages surrounding the Qaqlasht plateau.

The objectives of Jashan-e-Qaqlasht are to preserve traditional culture, protect the natural environment, entertainment for people (especially womenfolk and children) and to encourage tourism-related enterprises.

The activities of Jashan-e-Qaqlasht 2007, which will run from April 19 - April 21, can be categorized into sports and cultural events. The sporting events will include polo, tug of war, donkey polo, bodi dik, shot putt, shooting contest with matchlock, football, volleyball and cricket; cultural activities will include Chitrali sitar music, day and evening reed instrument performances, folkdances and folksongs, with particular focus on Nothik, Pasthook and Lookzhoor. A student debating contest is also scheduled and will include topics on ‘Post-Lowari Scenario’ and ‘Protection of Natural Environment’, in addition to evening poetry sessions. During the cultural events, it will be compulsory for all folk dancers to perform different folksongs representing their villages.

For further information please contact Azhar Ali Shah, General Secretary of Jashan-e-Qaqlasht Committee . ( Shamsuddin)