MUZAFFARGARH: The desert range from Head Muhammadwala to Layyah is a quiet and deserted track dotted with sand dunes and bushes.

The 180km track, however, will change from Nov 25 to 28 when jeeps driven by local and international ace racers will roar in the desert.

The Punjab Tourism Department announced the schedule for the much-awaited event of the region on Friday.

Deputy Commissioner Musa Raza, who announced the schedule, said it was a great honour for Muzaffargrah district to host such an international competition. He said the 180km rally track had been prepared and marked by the district government and the Punjab Tourism Department with the best security and other arrangements.

Participating jeeps will start at a point at Head Muhammadwala and will return to the same point, after touching the boundary of District Layyah.

The additional deputy commissioner, being the focal person of the rally, said 14 check-posts had been made to be manned by police and Rescue 1122 officials.

The first round of the rally would be held on Nov 25 with the registration of cars, allotment of numbers of cars and a navigators conference for drivers.

The DC said this time the district government was introducing a winter festival at the rally where horse dance, camel dance and local theatres would participate for the first time.

The qualifying round will be held the next day while an award ceremony will be held at Faisal Stadium. The DC said such kinds of activities would promote the cultural values of the region.

Assistant Commissioner Dr Abida Fareed said a food street would be set up at Head Muhammadwala during the rally days.

KILLED: Three people were killed and one was injured seriously when a car and a trailer collided head-on at Head Muhammadwala on Friday.

Rescue 1122 officials said when they responded to the accident, Tanvir Abbas, 40, and Ejaz Hussain, 45, had died at the scene while two female passengers received head injuries, and of them, Khursheed Bibi, 40, died at Nishtar Hospital. The family was travelling in the car.

DEATH: Jatoi Additional Sessions Court Judge Chaudhry Mazhar Shafiq handed down a death sentence to two people, of Balochistan, for the possession of 27 kg charas on Thursday.

In a case under section 9C of the Control of Narcotic Substances Action, the Shahar Sultan police arrested Nusrat, and Naqibullah, residents of Qila Abdullah, Chaman district, with 27 kg of charas. Both accused were convicted on Thursday.

The convicts will pay a fine of Rs100,000 each and in case of default on payment, they will serve a one-year additional term in prison.

Published in Dawn, October 23rd, 2021