Three Chitral polo team horses die mysteriously after Lahore match

GILGIT: Authorities are investigating the mysterious deaths of three horses from the Chitral polo team following a recently held freestyle polo match against Gilgit-Baltistan during the Horse and Cattle Show in Lahore.

Speaking to HUM News English via telephone on Wednesday, Chitral team captain Shahzada Sikandarul Mulk said theyhad reached Lahore on February 2 for a match scheduled on February 16.

“When we brought the horses to Lahore, they were in good health. We prepared them for the match for 9 to 10 days and even played a practice match at the Lahore Polo Club. However, from February 15, all nine horses in our team developed severe diarrhea,” he said.

Despite the worsening condition of the horses, Mulk said they had no choice but to play. “We selected six horses that were relatively fit to withstand the pressure of the game. We played and won the match, but the poor horses endured severe stress. Two of them died after the game, while a third died today (Wednesday),” he added.

The Chitral team captain ruled out weather as a factor, explaining that the horses were originally taken from Punjab and trained in Chitral, making acclimatization a non-issue. “If this had happened in Shandur after bringing them from Lahore, we could have suspected altitude sickness. But in this case, acclimatization was not required,” he noted.

Mulk speculated that feed contamination or food poisoning might be the cause, similar to how humans suffer from foodborne illnesses. “It has been three days since the post-mortem was conducted, but we have yet to receive the report to determine the exact cause,” he said.

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He also strongly rejected social media speculations suggesting that the Gilgit team may have been involved in harming the horses. “Gilgitis are horse and polo lovers. How can a horse lover harm a horse? These rumors are completely baseless,” he asserted.

Emphasizing the unity between Gilgit and Chitral, he said winning or losing the match was not the main objective; rather, it was about promoting the sport and strengthening historical and cultural ties between the two regions.

“Polo is our shared heritage and identity. We are one people, and events like Shandur have always brought us closer, he added.”

He expressed deep gratitude to the people of Gilgit. “The love and respect I received from the people of Gilgit are beyond words. Our unity and brotherhood are our greatest strengths. Polo is our shared legacy, and it is our collective responsibility to preserve and promote it,” Mulk said.

 The Chitral team captain requested all “Chitrali and Gilgiti brothers” to refrain from spreading rumors and speculation on social media and avoid baseless accusations saying there could be multiple reasons behind the deaths of the horses.

In the freestyle polo match held in Lahore on February 16, Chitral defeated Gilgit-Baltistan with a score of 6 goals to 5, securing the tournament victory.