BAHAWALPUR: Faisal Shadikhel stood first by covering the distance of three kilometers in 1.5 minutes in the qualifying round of 19th Cholistan Jeep Rally on Thursday. Nadir Magsi from Sindh and Zain Mahmood from Bahawalpur stood second and third, respectively.

According to reports from the desert, 104 jeep drivers and owners in addition to five women racers and four trucks participated in the qualifying round. The venue was decorated with multicoloured flags, banners and panaflexes to mark the occasion. A crowd turned up at the venue where they cheered the drivers and raised slogans for them.

The regular jeep rally would begin on the Friday morning when the racers in their first round of prepared category would be flagged off. They will cover 232km from Dilwash Stadium to Jamgarh Fort. The women category rally would also be held on Friday. The stock category participants’ rally would be held on Saturday to cover distance of 231km from Dilwash Stadium to Bijnot Fort while the second round of prepared category drivers would be held on Sunday. They would also cover 231km distance of from the Dilwash Stadium to Bijnot Fort.

The dirt bike race would be held on Sunday. Dawn learnt that 12 bikers from Afghanistan have reached Cholistan to participate in the dirt bike race.

Meanwhile, a food street as a part of the festivities week of the ongoing 19th Cholistan Jeep Rally opened at the Farid Gate, Bahawalpur on Thursday.

The food street was inaugurated by Bahawalpur Deputy Commissioner Zaheer Anwar Jappa with the cooperation of Markazi Anjuman-e-Tajran, Bahawalpur. The whole bazaar inside the Farid Gate and the shops were decorated with colourful buntings and bulbs.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2024