Government can profit from promoting Derawar Fort and Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally. PHOTO: APP
BAHAWALPUR: Derawar Fort and the Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally can play a significant role in promoting tourism, bringing a sizeable amount of foreign exchange to the national exchequer.
Situated in South Bahawalpur at a distance of approximately 100km, the Derawar Fort has become an icon for the state. It was built by Raja Jajja Bhatti in the 9th Century, way before the creation of Bahawalpur said Haji Rafeeq, a history researcher.
The fort was initially known as Dera Rawal. Later, it was referred to as Dera Rawar, which became Derawar with the passage of time.
Initially, the fort was constructed with mud and was used for defence by the Jaisalmir ruler, he said. The army belonging to the Raja of Jaisalmir used to stay in the fort to patrol the area. It was only later in 1733 when the Abbasi family entered the region and took control that the fort was rebuilt to its current shape, he stated.
The fort is surrounded by a boundary wall that stretches several metres to the sky and boasts 30 bastions. The fort was used by the heads of the princely state and contains ponds, residential rooms and a prison. Furthermore, a system of tunnels connects the Derawar to other forts sprinkled throughout the state, revealed Rafeeq.
Rafeeq expressed disappointment on the dilapidated condition of the fort despite several claims laid by government departments and the royal Abbasi family. “Two years ago, we heard that Rs10 million will be provided by the provincial government for the restoration and renovation of Derawar Fort but no improvement has been witnessed,” he said.
Derawar Fort was featured in national and international media when the government launched the jeep rally 13 years ago. It was decided as the starting point for the race that spans over 450km.
The 13th Cholistan Desert Jeep Rally,, recently held in Derawar Fort and covered internationally, attracted the attention of tourists. Senior bureaucrat Dr Raheel Siddiqui, who participated in the rally this year, said that the off-road jeep race was funded by the government and organised by the Tourism Development Corporation of Punjab. “For the past several years, international drivers from countries such as England and Canada have been participating in the rally after it was featured on international media,” he said.
Dr Noorullah Qamar, a participant from Canada, said that Canadian media had also covered the race. “Many Canadians want to watch the Cholistan Jeep Rally as it provides recreational entertainment that is linked with desert,” he said.
Research scholar and educationist Omer Saleem, who was at Derawar to witness the festivities, said that thousands of people visited the fort to witness the jeeps in action. However, he urged the government to take special measures for preserving and renovating the fort which was becoming dilapidated.
The government of Pakistan could earn millions of dollars by promoting the local tourism sector, he said.
Bahawalpur Commissioner Saqib Zafar said that the Punjab government in tandem with the management of Bahawalpur had started taking steps to preserve the fort in order to boost local tourism.
Recently, Zafar said that UNESCO had proclaimed Derawar Fort as a world heritage site and taken the responsibility of maintaining the decaying fort. The Punjab government also provided Rs10 million for the upkeep of the site.
Published in The Express Tribune, March 12th, 2018.
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