Dir festival-2015 continued
Dir, Pakistan: Dir festival-2015 attracted more visitors during its second day that was started with wreath lying ceremony on newly established “Yaadgar-e-Shuhada at Levies Headquarters Dir.
“Azaadi Walk” was arranged by District Administration lead by Deputy Commissioner Dir where Levies Jawaans displayed a 100 feet long National flag and walked continued with the rhythm of popular patriotic song “Jeeway Jeeway Pakistan” as the song was played with local musical instruments throughout the walk.
In later part of the day, grand demonstration of civil defence was shown in Dir stadium. DC Dir hosted the event while Brig. Saqib Jahangir Mirza was the Chief Guest of the event.
It may be mentioned that Dir Festival – 2015 was inaugurated the other day by D.C Dir Upper, Imran Hamid Sheikh by flag hoisting ceremony. More than 25,000 people attended the splendid opening ceremony. The position holders of Matric/F.Sc were given special awards, stalls were visited & different games were inaugurated. Afterwards, the D.C visited different bazaars to appreciate the shopkeepers who are participating in the “adornment competitions”. Moreover, first round of all games were played with zeal and zest.
It may be mentioned Dir was under the virtual control of terrorists before Pakistan Army came in the area and cleaning operation started.
Dir was known as “Terror Valley” during Taliban had virtual control of Swat Valley and Timergara was popular as Heaven of Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). Timergara and 1200 villages over the plains of Adenzai and Munda and the deep narrow valleys of the Panjkora and its tributaries had been hideouts of terrorists. Pakistan Air Force and helicopters of Pakistan Army held a long series of airstrikes that helped to clear this valley from terrorists. The road from Timergara to Dir is a 1.5 hour car journey, following the bank of the river Panjkora and this land is very scenic but never used for tourism purposes since Dir became a part of Pakistan because radical Islam was spread in valley in early 70s — just after its joining Pakistan as its part instead of a princely state. It may be mentioned that Dir was a small former princely state. The state ceased to exist in 1969 when it was incorporated into Pakistan. The area once occupied by the state (5,282 km²) now forms two districts of Pakistan – Upper Dir and Lower Dir.
