The donkey cart race is a spectacle of another kind. It has many of the ingredients of a thrilling sporting event and the participants as well as the spectators are into it by all means.
The Government of Sindh’s sports department recently organized yet another exciting donkey cart race in Karachi that was thoroughly enjoyed by the people residing in the old city area.
An added incentive for the participants was the handsome monetary rewards. All of them were assured of taking home Rs 5,000 each even if they didn’t finish among the top three. It was a wise move to keep all of them interested and ensure a decent turnout. Obviously the idea behind staging the event was to encourage people in healthy activities.
The Sindh Sports Minister, Dr Syed Mohammad Ali Shah, and the Secretary Sports and Youth Affairs to the Government of Sindh, Shoaib Ahmed Siddiqui, had planned the event as part of their drive for the revival of the traditional sports of the province. Both these gentlemen are making great contribution in engaging the youth of the province in particular in the sports arena.
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The donkey cart race organized by the provincial government on January 24 witness tremendous buzz and excitement as a total of 25 riders took part in the race that started from Railways Sports Ground located on I I Chundrigar Road and completed the cycle after passing through KPT Bridge, Sultanabad, PIDC and Shaheen Complex.
Abdul Hussain emerged as the winner of the race while Syed Asghar Ali Shah and Shakeel Ahmed finished second and third respectively.
Abdul Hussain, who clocked 11.35 minutes, received a purse of Rs 20,000, the runner-up Syed Asghar Ali Shah, who covered the distance in 11.45 minutes, was presented Rs 15,000 while Shakeel Ahmed, having finished third after doing it in 12.50 minutes, collected Rs 10,000.
The Director Sports, Sindh, Mohammad Hanif Mirchiwala, was the chief guest in the colourful presentation ceremony held at the Railways Sports Ground in which cash prizes of Rs 170,000 were disbursed.
It may be recalled that donkey cart racing was acclaimed as the pride of the city during one of the cultural festivals organized last year. It was announced by the City District Government Karachi (CDGK) to proactively support the sport being kept alive by the youth of Lyari.
A donkey cart race was organized as a part of the Hamara Karachi Festival 2009, which started from Gul Bai in Keamari Town and ended at the Jahangir Kothari Parade in Clifton. The participants had covered a distance of seven kilometers.
Pir Muhammad had won the race after reaching the finish line in just 13.2 minutes. He was followed by Saleem Japani and Asghar Badshah who finished second and third respectively among the 35 participants.
There are numerous donkey carts visible in the streets of Lyari town that serve a dual purpose. Besides being a mode of transportation it also provides them an avenue for recreation in the form of donkey cart races. The donkeys used for these races are usually younger and are believed to be much more expensive than the locally manufactured motorbikes. Lyari wears a festive look whenever donkey cart races are held there.
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