PESHAWAR: Secretary Sports, Culture and Tourism Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has cancelled the historical Shandur Polo Festival in Chitral after thorough discussion due to coronavirus concerns.

The decision has been taken in the light of the instructions issued by the National Command and Operation Centre (NCOC), says a notification. It said thorough discussions were held with Secretary Sports, Culture and Tourism Department Abid Majeed, wherein different aspects of the proposed Shandur Polo Festival were discussed and it was decided that implementation of the NCOC guidelines with regard to social distancing and safe tourism at the venue will not be possible and therefore the conduct of the event might lead to further spread of corona.

The Frontier Corps (North) Headquarters through a letter had also expressed apprehensions about holding of the event, and advised that the event should not be held this year. The notification said the KP Secretary Tourism Department in consultation with all the stakeholders and with the consent of the competent authority decided to cancel Shandur Polo Festival-2021 in the best public interest.

The festival is usually held from 7 to 9 July every year on Shandur Pass in Chitral district of KP.

KP extends primary, middle schools closure

The Elementary and Secondary Education Department (ESED) has directed all primary and middle-level schools in summer zone to remain closed in the wake of heat wave.

The notification said in summer zone all the primary and middle schools would remain closed till further orders while in winter zones schools from primary level to higher secondary level would remain open according to its routine schedule.

KP Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Shahram Tarakai said the primary and middle schools in few hot areas of winter zones and union councils would also remain closed till further orders. The education officers of the concerned districts would notify the areas with hot conditions of winter zones. However, in summer zones, all the primary and middle schools would remain closed.

According to the notification, the educational institutions would remain open for the students of class 9 to 12. It said only those subjects would be taught in which examination would be conducted.