KARACHI: Dozens of donkey carts raced on the roads of Karachi on Sunday as the city authorities revived the traditional sporting event as part of the Independence Day celebrations.
Around 40 donkey carts took part in the race, which started from the Natives’ Jetty Bridge and ended at the office of the Commissioner of Karachi.
Karachi Commissioner, Syed Hasan Naqvi, who attended the event as chief guest, distributed prizes among the winners and said the event aimed to preserve one of the port city’s traditional sports.
The donkey named Koel, with rider Majeed Baloch, won the race. Pearl, ridden by Cheema, was the runner-up while Shah Jahan, with Lal Badshah as its rider, secured the third place.
The Additional Inspector-General of Police, Azad Khan, and the Deputy Inspector-General of Traffic, Syed Pir Muhammad Shah, also attended the event.
The Commissioner said reviving traditional sports could help promote positive activities, encourage sporting culture and contribute to efforts to strengthen peace in the city.
“Karachi’s traditional sports and cultural activities should be preserved,” he said while congratulating the winners.
Azad Khan said donkey-cart racing was once a popular spectacle in Karachi, particularly along the Mauripur Road and around the Native Jetty Bridge, drawing large crowds and involving a significant number of participants.
He recalled watching such races during his childhood in Karachi and said the sport had lost much of its following over the years.
The revival of the race was an important effort to keep the tradition alive, he said, calling for greater support from the private sector for a sport he described as both time-consuming and expensive.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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