CHITRAL: A polo tournament is underway in Chitral. The enthusiasm of the players is worthwhile as 61 teams, each team comprising of six players with their horses have entered the fray. More pronounced is the enthusiasm of the spectators who flock the polo ground, some reaching hours before commencement of the game to grab a sitting place in the stadium, despite the scorching summer heat- All well so far, however the incidents of brawls between the players and supporters during the game and sometime even after the game is over, is increasing in Chitral.

The incidents of infighting is not only restricted to polo matches but is also witnessed in football matches, the two sports that are popular and mass participated in Chitral.

If one is to objectively analyse the reason for this emerging trend, first thought that comes to mind is the emotional volatility of the people at large, arising from inadequate nutrition affecting emotional health beside other things. The emotional instability is not restricted to Chitral, rather is a general phenomenon in the whole country. Whether it be sports, politics, war, occasions of victory or defeat or any definitive occasion, we go overboard with outbursts of emotions either way.

It would be pertinent to address the problem. First of all we should discourage junk food which are being fed to children especially, who then grow up with frail emotional health. Grown ups should be counseled at home, educational institutions, mosques etc about the importance of emotional stability, and lastly those who burst out negatively on playfields and who give a chance to ever vigilant mobile camera holders who then promptly viralise such incidents,  should be dealt with strictly to set an example for others. .. CN report, 28 May 2025