Hindu Kush Snow Festival attracts 500 skiing players

Haris Ahmad

PESHAWAR: The Hindu Kush Snow Festival attracted more than 500 skiing players that continued in full swing Chitral Valley under the auspices of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Department. More than 500 skiing players including 10 foreign athletes and trainers participated in the festival. There will be skiing and ice hockey competitions.

Assistant Commissioner Darosh Abdul Haq formally inaugurated the Hindu Kush Snow Festival. The festival will also feature competitions including BBQ and concert. It should be noted that last year also the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Tourism Department in collaboration with the district administration successfully organized the festival.
Earlier, the second edition of the Hindu Kush Snow Sports Festival kicked off with colourful activities in the scenic Madaklasht Valley in Chitral district, Officials of TCKP, district administration and a large number of snow sports players, foreign tourists and spectators were present on the occasion.

The Culture and Tourism Authority Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Chitral district administration have jointly organized the event. The Hindu Kush Snow Sports Festival, which is the second of kind in the history of the province in Madaklasht, showcases a number of snow games including skiing, snow-tubing, trekking, snow-boarding, ice skating, ice hockey, making snow statues, cartoons, snow curling and others.
Traditional foods, barbeque, night music and workshops on the topics of climate change and eco-tourism are also part of the winter gala.
Speaking on the occasion, Assistant Commissioner Abdul Haq said that the event was a great step towards promoting tourism and snow sports in the valley.

He praised the organizers and said that not only the local but the foreign tourists were also enjoying the three-day mega event, which will send a positive message to the outer world.
“The district administration and locals would extend every help and support for the successful holding of the event and making it a regular feature in the time to come,” vowed the official.
Later, a number of snow sports activities including skiing, snow-tubing, trekking, snow-boarding, ice skating, ice hockey, making snow statues, cartoons, snow curling and others were held.

The Hindu Kush is an 800 kilometer-long mountain range that stretches through Afghanistan, from its centre to northern Pakistan and into Tajikistan. It forms the western section of the Hindu Kush Himalayan Region and is the westernmost extension of the Pamir Mountains, the Karakoram and the Himalayas.