Jeep rally contestants finish first round neck and neck

Zain Mehmood secures first position in qualifying round

DERA GHAZI KHAN:

The division’s major car rally, the Thal Jeep Rally, which is the country’s second largest car rally, entered its second day on Friday.

In the qualifying round, which covered a distance spanning three kilometers, Zain Mehmood secured the first position.

He covered the distance in one minute and 46 seconds. Faisal Shadi Khel got the second position, covering the distance in one minute and 48 seconds. The third position went to Mir Nadir Magsi, who covered the distance in one minute and 50 seconds.

Asif Fazal Chaudhry and Sahibzada Sultan got the fourth and fifth positions respectively.

A total of 94 car racers, including three women, contested in the qualifying round.

Earlier, the Commissioner of DG Khan, Nasir Mehmood Basheer, had inaugurated the qualifying round of the rally.

The commissioner told the media that the Thal Desert Jeep Rally was the second largest rally of the country.

Read Countdown to Thal Jeep Rally begins

In order to make the event a success, the administration and officers from three districts of South Punjab -- Muzaffargarh, Layyah and Kot Addu -- had worked very hard.

He said that soon the event would be taken to the international level. Car racers not only from Pakistan but from all over the world would participate in this rally in the years to come.

He said that such events would give Pakistan a soft image, culture of the region would be promoted and employment generated to develop the region.

Cultural programs were also arranged alongside the Thal Desert Jeep Rally.

The Jhumar party performed regional dances while horse riding and javelin throw competitions were also organized.

The cultural programme got a huge applause from the audience.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 11^th, 2023.