BAHAWALPUR: The scope of the annual Cholistan jeep rally may be widened to an inter-provincial event in the coming years with the coordination of the organisers of Tharparkar (Sindh) jeep rally, says a racing club chief.

Speaking to Dawn, Chaudhry Mahmood Majid, chief of 4x4 racing club of Bahawalpur, claimed that during his participation in Tharparkar jeep rally, he held discussion with Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah about the possibility of conversion of these provincial jeep rallies into a mega inter-provincial event. The chief minister, he said, not only agreed to the suggestion but also proposed that the jeep rally originating from Tharparkar (Sindh) could end at Bahawalpur’s (Punjab) historic Derwar Fort.

Mr Shah, he said, told him that he would contact Punjab Chief Minister Usman Buzdar and propose him to explore the possibility of extending this event to KP.

Chaudhry Majid is currently engaged in the preparation of jeep rally’s route in the vast desert touching the boundaries of Bahawalpur, Bahawalnagar and Rahim Yar Khan. More than 100 drivers are expected to participate in the four-day rally scheduled to begin on Feb 14, he said. He said foreign tourists including those from Iran and Yemen were expected to grace the occasion, as is an observer from the United States.

Published in Dawn, January 30th, 2022