The Shandur Polo Festival 2025 ended spectacular on Sunday, while Chitral beat Gilgit 9-7 in the last match played on the highest polo field in the world before a crowd of a thousand.
The final took place before thousands of spectators at the Shandur Pass often call the “roof of the world”, at an altitude of 12,000 feet, attracting local crowds and foreign tourists.
This year, the “A” team from Gilgit posted a significantly improved performance compared to previous editions. However, the Chitral team played a solid defensive game, successfully blocking several goal attempts and now its advance to guarantee victory.
Held from June 20 to 22, the festival was organized with the joint support of the government of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, the government of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Pakistani army and the border body Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (North).
Read: The Shandur Polo festival starts in Highlands
The closing ceremony of the last day was followed by Lieutenant-General Umar Ahmad Bukhari, the commander of the body Peshawar, who participated as chief guest.
Thousands of people attended the grand finale, including many international visitors. In accordance with the tradition, the Elite SSG team of the Pakistani army “ Shahbaz ” executed a spectacular display of a free fall parachute, while the army’s physical training school, Kakul, impressed by a demonstration of vibrant paragliding on the picturesque landscape.
Adding to the festivities, a traditional Kalasha dance was played, to the great pleasure of the crowd. The cultural showcase received enthusiastic applause and reflected the diversified heritage of the region.
During the ceremony, the chief guest presented prices and honors to the players of the two teams. In his speech, Lieutenant-General Bukhari thanked all the spectators, organizers and in particular foreign tourists for having attended and supported the festival.
He also welcomed the civil administration, the security forces and the local authorities to ensure the success and security of the event.
