MULTAN, Nov 11: Organizers of the Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally have finalized holding of the 413-kilometre-long rally from Jan 7 to 9, 2005.

Besides, a week-long Camp Bazaar will also be set up near Derawar Fort to highlight Cholistan culture and handicrafts to generate economic activity for native 'Rohillas'.

To make it culturally more colourful, camel races, bullcart races and camel fights will be arranged at the sidelines of the Camp Bazaar to be set up four days before the rally.

'Rohillas' will be allowed to market their handicrafts, including the famous and costly product 'flassi' which is made of camel hair. Flassi is a mat and its fine quality is also used as 'chadar' by the people for warmth to fight the desert cold. Other people will also be allowed to set up stalls and no fee will be charged.

An organizing committee has been formed to make arrangements for the Cholistan desert rally in Bahawalpur.

The final decision to fix dates was taken in a meeting in Lahore on Nov 9 which was chaired by TDCP managing-director Irfan Ali.

The organizing committee members included Bahawalpur MPA Muzammil Abbasi, DCO Imran Ahmad, EDO Finance and Planning Dr Raheel Siddiqui and Multan TDCP regional manager Shoaib Ahmad.

The race is expected to take minimum 15 hours of a driver, approximately six hours for 148km night rally and nine hours for 265km day rally.

Mr Shoaib told APP by telephone that the TDCP was looking on to make this event an annual feature of their programmes. "The event has some resemblance with the famous Dakar rally which is a 42-hour-long event that continues without any break", he said.

People from all over Pakistan can participate in the adventurous event after depositing Rs5,000 entry fee for registration. The companies willing to run jeeps carrying their logo will have to pay Rs50,000 for participation, said Shoaib. The registration, he said, would begin after Eid.

The participants would first have to get their vehicles checked by the experts at Ahmedpur East on Jan 7. "We expect there would be around 100 participants", he hoped.

The night rally would begin at around 7.30pm on Jan 8 from historical Derawar Fort, some 100kms from Bahawalpur. After some four to five hour rest, the second phase of the rally would begin on Jan 9 morning when drivers and their navigators would be required to cover the remaining 265km distance.

Routes of both night and day rallies are oval-shaped and participants would have to return to the Derawar Fort after beginning the race from the same point. Reflectors would be installed for drivers' guidance, particularly for night race, to inform them about any turn or dunes some 50 yards before their appearance.

Organizers have sent letters to multinational companies to seek sponsorships for holding the event.

Meant to promote desert tourism, the event would end with a prize distribution ceremony and a colourful programme featuring traditional folk songs and dances besides a fireworks show in the evening at the Derawar Fort.

Desert Rangers have also extended much-needed help to the TDCP, Bahawalpur district government and Cholistan Development for successful holding of the event.

The pair of racer and navigator taking minimum time would get the first prize. Participants must be equipped with helmets, a hatchet, a spade, a first aid box and a snake stick.

An ambulance, mobile workshop and mobile fuel pumps would be arranged besides other facilities.-APP