Three-day Orakzai spring festival kicks off

The culturally rich Orakzai Spring Festival in Orakzai tribal district on Friday

PESHAWAR:

Advisor to Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister on Tourism, Culture, Archaeology and Museums Zahid Chanzeb on Friday inaugurated the Orakzai Spring Festival in Orakzai tribal district.

Talking on the occasion he said that the merged districts of K-P had abundant natural beauty and scenic spots to attract foreign and domestic tourists.

“New tourist spots in Orakzai will soon become the centre of attraction for the tourists. We have opened camping pods and a rest house for tourists at the Samana Top to provide them comfortable and affordable accommodation and recreational facilities so they could enjoy their stay in the scenic site,” he said while addressing the inaugural ceremony of three-day Jashan-e-Baharan Festival at Kharasha-Khwa Storikhel in Orakzai tribal district.

On this occasion, Director General Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA) Barkatullah Marwat, Project Director for Tourism Wing for Merged Districts Ishtiaq Khan, Orakzai Deputy Commissioner Tayyab Abdullah, District Police Officer Nazir Ahmad, Lt-Col Tariq Rahim of Orakzai Scouts and others were also present on the occasion.

On the directives of Advisor, the three-day Jashan-e-Baharan Festival is being organised at the scenic tourist resort Kharasha-Khwa Storikhel in Orakzai tribal district from June 7-9.

KPCTA in collaboration with the Tourism Wing for Merged Districts, District Administration Orakzai, the paramilitary wing of army, is organizing the event to showcase traditional and non-traditional sports competitions for the tourists and local people.

Zahid Chanzeb said that rest areas will be constructed to facilitate in Orakzai. He said Orakzai was a beautiful district having many tourist spots, including Kalaya, Samana Top, Gulistan Forte, Ferozkhel, Ziarah, Landoka, Nanwar Cave, Toi Khala Waterfall, Sikh Monument, Spinkai and other scenic sites, which have been opened for the tourists.

He said that the event was aimed at attracting tourists besides involving the local people in tourism and cultural activities so that promotion of tourism, employment opportunities and economy of residents could be strengthened.

He said that the purpose of organizing the festival in Orakzai district was not only to engage the local people in tourism and cultural activities but also to attract tourists to this area so that tourism can be promoted and local economy could be boosted.

The three-day festival feature jeep, cycle, motorcycle races, tug-of war, arrow shooting, boat races, truck pulling, tractor pulling, stone lifting, mud wrestling, kabaddi, paragliding, archery, local traditional games, cricket, football, volleyball, inter-seminaries volleyball, inter-school cricket league, horse and camel dances, and various other traditional sports competitions.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 8^th, 2024.