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PESHAWAR: A mysterious disease affected the horses of players from Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan during the ongoing Horse and Cattle Show 2025 in Lahore.
According to reports, two horses of Chitral A Team have died while five others are critically ill. Similarly, two horses of Karakoram Polo Club Gilgit-Baltistan are also in serious condition. Some social media reports also alleged that the horses were poisoned.
The horses fell ill soon after a Buzkashi and friendly polo match between Chitral and GB teams held the previous day. Chitral A Team, led by renowned polo player Prince Sikandarul Malik, suffered a heavy loss. Meanwhile, Karakoram Polo Club, representing Gilgit-Baltistan under the leadership of SP Moazzam Ali, also reported two horses falling critically ill.
Expressing concern over the incident, Deputy General Secretary of the Gilgit Polo Association Hashir Iqbal said that the initial cause of the horses’ deaths and illnesses appears to be “multiple organ failure” due to severe dehydration and excessive physical exertion.
Veterinary experts have also raised the possibility of an infectious virus spreading from one animal to another, which may have worsened the situation.
The Punjab government has taken immediate notice of the incident and deployed veterinary experts to treat the affected horses. Authorities have also assured financial assistance to the Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan teams for their losses.
The sudden death of Chitral A Team’s horses has caused a wave of grief and anger among polo enthusiasts. Many social media users are speculating about a conspiracy and demanding a thorough investigation into the matter.
However, Additional General Secretary of Gilgit Polo Association Hashir Iqbal dismissed these speculations, stating that postmortem reports found no evidence of foul play.
He explained, “These horses participated in Buzkashi a day earlier and played a polo match the next day, which caused extreme physical strain, ultimately leading to organ failure and this tragic incident.”
Sikandarul Mulk also called the poisoning claim false, saying that such statements should not be made without evidence.
Polo circles in Chitral and Gilgit-Baltistan are deeply saddened by this incident and are urging the relevant authorities to conduct a comprehensive investigation to prevent such tragedies in the future
