BAHAWALPUR: The qualifying round of 21st Cholistan desert jeep rally’s participants was held near Derawar Fort in Cholistan on Thursday.

According to officials, out of total 155 racers participated in the different categories, thequalifying round was participated by 110 drivers. The participants included five women and as many foreigners.

Muhammad Raza Saeed won the qualifying round while Mir Jaffer Magsi stood second and Faisal Shadikhel stood third.

According to an official handout, South Punjab Additional Chief Secretary (ACS) Faud Hashim Rabbani inaugurated the qualifying round near Derawar Fort. The rally’s flag-off ceremony would be held on Friday (today) when the first round of prepared category’s participants would take place on 236km long rally track.

As the desert’s area around the historic Derawar Fort (about 70km from the city) was abuzz with colourful jeep rally, the Cholistan area near Yazman (about 40km from city) was also humming up with the presence of thousands of devotees at Channan Pir Mela, which began on the second Thursday of February. The festival, a century-old event, annually starts from the second Thursday in February. On Friday (today) morning, the devotees would return to their homes across the province. Earlier, Hundreds of devotees reached the Channan Pir by Thursday’s morning. They are staying there overnight to pray at the mausoleum of the Channan Pir and offer animal sacrifices. Though the festival is spread over seven weeks (till April 10) but this time due to Ramazan, its festivities would remain suspended and the next stage of the festival would begin on March 27.

The Aquaf department, Bahawalpur made elaborate arrangements for the devotees at the venue. Administrator Auqaf Malik Farid Ahmed told Dawn that CCTV cameras on the boundary wall had been installed besides the deployment of police personnel by the DPO Bahawalpur for the security of devotees. He said this year the contracts of the arrangements and utilities had been auctioned for Rs5.9m as compared to last year’s Rs5.5m. He claimed to have finalised all arrangements to provide basic amenities to the visiting devotees at the spot.

Published in Dawn, February 13th, 2026