PESHAWAR: A top official said on Monday, March 29, that more cultural festivals and traditional games would be organized in Dera Ismail Khan to attract domestic and foreign tourists to the area and boost tourism in the province.
Speaking at the awards distribution ceremony of the first Derajat off-road jeep and motorcycle challenge race, Secretary Sports, Tourism, Archaeology, Culture, Museums, and Youth Affairs Department Abid Majeed said that the second leg of Derajat Festival was postponed owing to the third wave of Covid-19 pandemic.
He said that the cultural festival would now be held in the upcoming September.
“The government is taking tangible steps for the promotion of local cultures, traditional games, and boosting tourism in every nook and corner of the province to lure more tourists and visitors,” the official said, adding that it would help create employment opportunities for the local populace as well.
Federal Minister Ali Amin Gandapur was the chief guest at the concluding ceremony.
The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA), Frontier 4×4 Club, and Dera Ismail Khan District administration had jointly organized the three-day event.
Sahibzada Sultan was declared the top winner of Derajat off-road jeep challenge race followed by Zain Mahmood and Nadir Magsi.
In the Women’s category, Tushna Patel clinched the first position while Maheem Sheraz stood second and Salma Marwat third.
Trophies, medals, and cash prizes were given away to the positions of all categories.
Twenty-eight racers, including Jaffar Magsi, Nadir Magsi, Babar Khan, Salma Khan Marwat, Maheem Sheraz, Laila Akhunzada, Irshad Kakakhel, Zain Mahmood, Raza Saeed, Asif Fazal Chaudhry, Faisal Khan Shadi, Bewarigh Mazari, Awais Khakwani, Malik Qadir Nawaz, Shahab Haider, Asad Khan, Nauman Saranjam Khan, Saud Majeed, Umar Iqbal Kanju, Sheryar Khan, Zafar Khan Baloch, Nasir Khan, Gohar Sangi, Tushna Patel, Jamila and others participated in the pre-peered category and covered 118 kilometers track from Yarak to Gloti.
The racers performed well during the 118km race on the track from Yarak to Gloti after passing through Paniala, Rahmanikhel, and Abdulkhel.
Twenty-nine drivers participated in the stock category while 22 racers performed in the professional pre-peered category.
