SWABI: Mr. Sajjad Qureshi, a jeeper from Lahore won the seventh edition of the Indus Water Cross Challenge Jeep Race held near the Swabi interchange alongside the bank of River Indus last week.
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The jeep rally was jointly organized by the Tourism Corporation, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (TCKP) and Frontier 4×4 Club in a bid to provide an opportunity of entertainment to the local people and highlight tourism potential in the province. As many as 112 motorcyclists and jeepers, both male and female, from all over the country participated in the rally.
A nine-kilometer long track was made for the rally alongside the river bank. The racers tried their best to cross the tough track in the shortest possible time.
The drivers admitted that the track was too difficult but said they enjoyed the race. They said such events should be organized on a regular basis so that more and more tourists could be lured to the scenic spots of the province.
A large number of spectators including men, women, youth and children and enthusiast drivers and mountain bike riders thronged the Indus River to watch and participate. They all fully enjoyed the game of power and force of four wheelers and the valiant drivers crossing the mighty Indus River.
TCKP Managing Director Mushtaq Ahmed Khan and Swabi Deputy Commissioner Mutasimbillah Khan as chief guests inaugurated the event.
The show was eye-catching but it looked a scaring feat too as the drivers, both men and women, pulled over their jeeps to the banks of Indus River and started racing on the nine kilometers tough and rough track of stones in the gushing water.
President Frontier 4×4 Club Babar Khan besides a large number of people were present on the occasion.
Sajjad Hussain Qureshi of Lahore clinched first position overall as he covered the nine-kilometer track in just 12.32 minutes
There were four categories of racers in which five women drivers also participated.In women category, Rida Naveed grabbed first position by covering the track in 19.12 minutes, while Asma Saddique stood second after she finished the track in 21.02 minutes.
In Category-A, Nowsherwan stood first, Baqir second while Khalid clinched third position.
In Category-B, Sajjad Hussain Qureshi clinched first position, Usman Nadeem second and Tariq Khan third position.
Hassan Channa got first position in Category-C, Safdar of Team Sultan stood second, while Raja Nadeem grabbed third position.
In mountain bike riders, Ibrahim Khan stood first, Zaigham Khan second and Babar Khan got third position.
Managing Director Mushtaq Ahmed Khan and Deputy Commissioner Mutasimbillah Khan gave away shields and prizes to the position holders of the race.
Speaking on the occasion, Mushtaq Ahmed Khan said that TCKP was making strenuous efforts to promote tourism in the province. He said that women racers from Peshawar, Islamabad and Lahore participated in the event, which will give a positive message to the world about the people and country.
The official said that tourism potential would be explored and revived along the Indus River to attract more tourists to the scenic spots of the province.
The spectators highly appreciated the adventurous activity and urged the authorities concerned to arrange such more events in the district.
