Bandar boat race helps revive culture

Winners of main event get Rs70,000 prize-money.

KARACHI: Amid lack of tourism, the Pakistan Sailing Federation (PSF) and Sindh government’s youth and sport ministry organised bandar-boat races yesterday at the Baba and Bhit island located near Manora.

The event provided locals a chance to show-off their boats and revive an industry suffering from economic crisis. The PSF Secretary Lieutenant Commander Zahid Rauf said the races would benefit local boat owners who have gone out of business due to lack of funds as they cope with lack of tourism.

Five bandar boats competed at the races, while seven horah boats and seven laser-16 boats also took part in two separate categories.

Haji Ishaq’s crew won the Rs70,000 prize-money after winning the bander-boat race, while Mohammad Hussain’s crew bagged Rs30,000 for winning the horah race. MZU Rehman secured first position in the laser-16 race.

“The participants in the bandar-boat and horah sail belonged to the Baba and Bhit Island,” Rauf told The Express Tribune. “There were supposed to be seven bandar-boats but two of them had a broken mast so the teams were disqualified.”

Published in The Express Tribune, February 11^th, 2012.