Retrieving land of polo grounds from encroachers still a pipe dream.

CHITRAL -- The clearance of encroachments from the polo grounds situated across the district has remained a distant dream during the past many decades despite the frantic calls of the polo fans and players.

The polo fans and players said that it was the traditional game of Chitral, patronised by the former rulers of the princely state who had provided land for polo grounds in every village across the district. After the merger of the princely state with the country, the encroachment of the grounds started.

The president of district polo association, Shahzada Sikandarul Mulk said that the district administration in the recent past claimed to start campaign against the encroachments to retrieve the land of polo grounds but it did not materialise the plan for one reason or the other.

He said that the number of polo grounds across the district may exceed 100 but prominent among those were in the villages of Ayun, Koghuzi, Zang Lusht, Rayeen, Prayeet, Sonoghur, ZhupuYarkhoon, Chuinj, Reshun, Garam Chashma, Harchin, Drosh, Sor Laspur, Nogram, Morder and Drasun.

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He said that encroachment upon the polo grounds started in 1980s with the tacit support of the then district administration as the practice went unchecked and many of the grounds lost their existence as seen in Ayun and Koghuzi.

Mr Mulk said that the grounds were not only meant for the game of polo but those were also used as community place of...