Ice Hockey Championship at the frozen Khalti Lake Ghizer Gilgit Pakistan

The first Ice Hockey Championship would have been hosted from  28 to 30 January 2021 by Tourism department Gilgit Baltistan in collaboration with Khalti Social Development Organization.

The International Ice Hockey Federation(IIHF) every year hosts Ice Hockey World Championships in different host countries including Switzerland and many other countries.

Gilgit Baltistan being a tourist attraction holds the world's tallest mountains, glaciers and freshwater lakes. Khalti lake is one of the famous reservoir of fresh water and trout fish with surface elevation of 2,217 m, area 40 ha and maximum depth of 80 feet; which is located in the Gupis-Yasin District, Gilgit-Baltistan, Pakistan. The lake remains blue throughout summer and turns into solid ice in the harsh winters. During winters the weather at the Khalti lake generally records -13c and the lake's water turn into extremely solid ice; on which high load vehicles can easily pass. The frozen lake of Khalti attracts local and international tourists, the people who are found of winter sports like ice hockey, ice skating, ice football and other winter sports.

Tourism department Gilgit Baltistan in collaboration with Khalti Social Development Organization successfully organized a 3-day Winter Sports Festival at Khalti lake in Ghizer district. Local teams from the Yasin and Hunza valley participated in different events including: Ice Hockey, Ice Skating, Ice Football and many other competitions were the part of this event. Chief Minister Gilgit Baltistan( Khalid Khurshid), head of the tourist department GB and many other prominent figures attended this event. The crowed on the final day of this event was more than two thousand in number. Ice Hockey was the center of attraction in this event, the final match of Ice Hockey Championship was between the teams; Hunza Ibex and Hunza Leopards. After a thrilling competition, Hunza Ibex won the first Ice Hockey Championship by (1-0) played at the frozen lake Khalti.

The event remained successful and was admired at the local and national level. Organizing such events can promote tourism and winter sports in this natural and hospitable region of the Ghizer valley of Pakistan. The economy of Gilgit Baltistan, Pakistan can be boosted by promoting such events at national and international level. The natural region of Gilgit Pakistan highly resembles that of Switzerland and other natural parts of the world. Frozen Khalti lake of Ghizer valley, Gilgit Pakistan could be possibly the next host for International Ice Hockey Championship (IIHC & IIHF).