Prof. Dr. Zahir Shah, Vice Chancellor, University of Chitral, met His
Excellency Prof. Mehmet PAÇACI, The Ambassador of Turkey to Pakistan in his
office on 27.10.2023. His Excellency the Ambassador and his team extended warm
welcome to the Vice Chancellor. The Vice Chancellor briefly shared with him
some of the unique features of Chitral such as the presence of Kalash Valleys,
Shandur Polo Festival, Geo Strategic location, and several untapped natural
resources. Vice Chancellor mentioned that Kalash Valley is a source of
attraction for people all around the world. The unique culture and way of
living of the Kalash people make them different from the rest of the people.
Similarly, the Shandur polo festival is one of the wildest and oldest polo
festivals on earth. Shandur polo ground is at Shandur Pass on the border
between Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the Gilgit Baltistan region of Pakistan. The
unique location of the polo ground makes it a popular destination for adventure
seekers and polo enthusiasts. Moreover, Chitral is, in no way, less significant
than Gwadar. Its proximity to China, Afghanistan, and Central Asia (Tajikistan,
etc) further adds to its importance. There is a narrow strip of about 5-10 km
between Chitral and Tajikistan. If a passage is provided through Afghanistan,
Chitral’s geo-strategic position can be greatly enhanced with access to central
Asia. The Chitral district has large reserves of granite, gemstones, and
metals. Others include the presence of huge potential for hydropower, tourism,
and minerals. Of 7253 known glaciers, 543 occur in the Chitral valley. Glaciers
are a distinctive source of fresh water for irrigation, drinking, and
industrial water supplies for the people living in those regions and
downstream. The Vice-Chancellor also shared with him the ongoing programs of
the University of Chitral. His excellency showed great interest in most of the
programs of the university and offered to develop linkages with some of the
universities and other organizations in Turkey. He has particularly shown
interest in developing a collaborative project on Thermal energy using the Hot
Water Spring resource in Chitral for greenhouse agriculture, geothermal health
tourism, and others. He also showed interest in the Tourism program of the
university. The Vice-Chancellor invited him and his team to visit the
University of Chitral when convenient and he gracefully accepted the
invitation. Mr. Mehmet TOYRAN Education Councilor, Mrs Belkis UĞURLU Visa
Section, and Dr. Tahir Shah Education Section were also present at the
occasion.
