Abdul Jabbar Faisal
ISLAMABAD: The 7-day Winter Festival will start on January 15 in Gilgit Baltistan (GB), as the National Ice Hockey Championship will also be part of the festival for the first time in the history of the annual winter sports and cultural fixture, Tourism Minister GB, Ghulam Mohammad announced this in a press conference at a local hotel along with Planning Minister Raja Nasir, Vice President Pakistan Winter Sports Air Commodore Retired Shahid Nadeem, Additional Chief Secretary Captain Retired Mushtaq Ahmed and Secretary Tourism Asifullah Khan.
Tourism Minister Gilgit-Baltistan Ghulam Mohammad further said that tourism was being raised in Gilgit-Baltistan through sports in all four seasons. “All ten districts of Gilgit-Baltistan will take part in the ice hockey and other local sports aiming to organize to attract tourists from all over the world to Pakistan. It is the responsibility of the people and government of Gilgit-Baltistan to stage cultural events including sports, “he added.
Vice President Winter Sports Shahid Nadeem said: “I have an old relationship with Gilgit-Baltistan and I have been performing my duties in Naltar. The federation had started the ice hockey championship in Gulkan after leaving Naltar. Whatever winter sports event is held in Gilgit-Baltistan, there is a rush of domestic and foreign local tourists. Gilgit-Baltistan people should lead the same way as other events are being led. Sports Federation's effort is to take our athletes to the Asian Games and 2026 Olympic Games and make Pakistan's name shine”.
Secretary Tourism Gilgit-Baltistan Asifullah Khan said: “The second edition of the seven-day festival is being organized, which will be unique this time. The four seasons of Gilgit-Baltistan have their own distinct beauty and we are trying to show this charming beauty to the tourists. We organized the Sarfa Ranga Festival in the fall and now we are going to do the Winter Festival. This seven-day festival is being organized in all ten districts of Gilgit-Baltistan”.
“The glaciers of Gilgit-Baltistan are decreasing. The effects of environmental changes are clearly visible in Gilgit-Baltistan for which no one is responsible but we all are. We want to highlight winter sports more in GB. Gilgit-Baltistan culture and old games are being re-introduced. We are organizing with the cooperation of Winter Sports Federation of Pakistan. National Ice Hockey Championship including various winter events are being organized in ten districts, “he concluded.
