Poonch (Jammu and Kashmir) [India], February 13 : The Pir Panjal Winter Festival, organised by the Indian Army's Romeo Force 6 Sector, included a girls' Kho-Kho competition in Surankote Town, Poonch District, as part of the ongoing celebrations. The festival, which began on February 3, is scheduled to conclude on February 16, 2026.
A variety of sports and cultural events were part of Winter festival 2026, including cricket, volleyball, Kho-Kho, drawing and painting competitions, and singing contests.
The festival aims to engage youth in constructive activities and steer them away from drug abuse.
Rajinder Kumar, Naib Tehsildar in Surankote, said the festival helps children develop discipline, confidence, and patience through sports, while also guiding youth away from drug abuse.
"I am pleased to have come here today. I thank the Indian Army for organising the Pir Panjal Winter Festival, which provides a great platform for children. In sports, whether big or small, children learn a lot of new things, instilling discipline, confidence and patience in them. We are seeing that many of our youth are developing a drug abuse habit," he said to ANI.
"To prevent this, the government is working on it. Many government departments and agencies are working on this. It is our responsibility to bring our children back on track for those who are involved in drug abuse. With immense enthusiasm, children participated in this festival," he added.
Students participating in the event expressed their gratitude for the Indian Army.
One student said, "We are here to participate in the Pir Panjal Winter Festival. Last year, too, we came here and won. We thank the Indian Army from the bottom of our hearts for organising tournaments in Kho-kho, volleyball, cricket, and many other sports. Today we won again, and we felt very good here. The arrangements here are very good."
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