Charsadda: A Dragon Boat Festival was held for the first time in Pakistan on the banks of the Kabul River in Sardaryab, Charsadda, bringing together traditional Chinese culture, local sports teams and Pakistan-China friendship.
The event was organised by China Window, a Chinese cultural centre based in Peshawar. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Police team and the Charsadda team jointly won the boat race, while the Sports Writers Association team secured second position and the Peshawar High Court team finished third.
The festival featured boat races, drum performances, cultural activities and public participation along the riverbank. More than 100 boat racers took part in the competition, including female rowers, which organisers described as a significant feature of the event.
Cultural and Official Participation
Special Assistant to the Chief Minister for Culture and Tourism Malik Adil Iqbal attended the event as chief guest. Provincial ministers Fazal Shakoor and Akhtarullah Jan, members of the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly, Deputy Commissioner Charsadda Azmatullah Wazir and Additional Deputy Commissioner Charsadda Rina Abbasi were also present.
Officials from Rescue 1122, the district administration, the Culture and Tourism Department and other departments attended the festival. Director Culture and Tourism Halima Iqbal was also among the participants.
The district administration made security and safety arrangements for the event. The Federal Constabulary Band performed music linked to Pakistan-China friendship, while FC personnel presented a Khattak Dance.
Chinese guests also attended the festival and watched the boat race alongside local families, youth and spectators gathered on the banks of the Kabul River.
Winners Awarded
At the end of the competition, Malik Adil Iqbal distributed trophies, medals and cash prizes among the winning teams.
Speaking on the occasion, he said China Window had become an important centre for Pakistan-China cultural friendship in Peshawar and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said the Dragon Boat Festival on the Kabul River helped project a positive image of the province and could support tourism promotion in the future.
He congratulated China Window for organising the event during celebrations marking 75 years of Pakistan-China friendship and expressed hope that the festival would become an annual activity.
China Window Administrator Amjad Aziz Malik said the festival introduced an ancient Chinese cultural tradition to Pakistan and helped bring people of the two countries closer. He said plans were being considered to hold the event regularly in the coming years.
He also thanked the Charsadda district administration for supporting the arrangements and conduct of the boat race.
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