KARACHI: A traditional donkey cart race was held at Native Jetty as part of the Independence Day celebrations, with the donkey named “Koel” emerging victorious in the competition.
Organised under the auspices of Commissioner Karachi, the race began from the Native Jetty Bridge and concluded at the Commissioner’s Office.
As many as 40 donkey carts from different parts of Karachi participated in the event, showcasing one of the city’s traditional sporting activities.
‘Koel’ takes top honours
Koel, owned by Majeed Baloch, secured first position in the race. Cheema Wala, owned by Pital Bakhsh, finished second, while Lal Badshah, owned by Shah Jahan Baloch, claimed third place.
Commissioner Karachi Hassan Naqvi was the chief guest at the prize distribution ceremony.
Additional IG Azad Khan, DIG Traffic Syed Pir Muhammad Shah and other officials also attended the event.
Speaking on the occasion, Commissioner Naqvi said the race was organised to preserve and promote Karachi’s centuries-old sporting traditions.
He said such competitions could contribute to maintaining peace in the city while also supporting the government’s efforts to promote sports and healthy activities.
Additional IG Azad Khan described donkey cart racing as one of Karachi’s oldest sports, saying it was a time-consuming, demanding and expensive hobby.
He called on the private sector to come forward and support efforts to preserve the traditional sport.
DIG Traffic Syed Pir Muhammad Shah said he had witnessed donkey cart racing for the first time and stressed the need to safeguard the city’s cultural heritage and traditions.
The event provided a colourful glimpse into Karachi’s traditional sporting culture as the city marked Independence Day.
