Jhang Desert Rally in Punjab Starts 9 October on a 95 km Thal Track

Jhang will hold its first desert rally and a three-day Thal cultural festival from 9 October 2026. Drivers will race a 95-kilometre track through the Thal desert, and the district administration expects around 100 drivers and riders from across Pakistan.

Jhang Deputy Commissioner Babar Sahib Din announced the event at a press conference on 26 September, held at the rally's starting point. Radio Pakistan carried his statement the same day. The district's own website has also been promoting the "Thal Jeep Rally" since 16 September.

We read both on 27 September 2026. Some things a visitor needs, such as the exact venue, entry fees and driver registration, have not been published on either page yet. We say so below wherever it matters.

Jhang desert rally dates and what is planned

The Jhang Desert Rally and Cultural Festival starts on 9 October 2026 and runs for three days. The Deputy Commissioner said it is the district's first desert rally. It pairs off-road racing on a 95 km Thal track with folk music, horse riding, kabaddi and a musical night.

The district administration is organising it to promote tourism. The Deputy Commissioner said the aim is to show Jhang "on a wider platform" and present it as a new tourist destination.

Here is what has been officially announced so far:

Three days from 9 October takes the festival to 11 October. The administration has not published a day-by-day schedule, so do not assume the racing runs on all three days.

Rally categories include women, stock cars and veterans

The rally will have several classes, including a women's category, a stock category and a veterans category. Bike racing and other competitions are also planned. About 100 experienced drivers and riders from across Pakistan are expected, along with some foreign tourists.

A "stock" class in desert rallying usually means vehicles close to their factory build, with limited changes. The administration has not published its own rules for each class. Drivers who want to enter should ask the Deputy Commissioner's office for the technical rules before they prepare a vehicle.

A women's class matters. It gives women drivers a separate field instead of asking them to compete in open classes only. The same idea sits behind the women's events in the Punjab Youth Games, which the province is running this autumn too.

The 95 km Thal track and the cultural festival

Drivers will cover a 95-kilometre desert track through the Thal, a sandy region spread across several districts of western Punjab. Around the racing, the festival offers horse riding, traditional dances, folk music, kabaddi, volleyball and a musical night.

The Deputy Commissioner said the track combines "competitive racing with the area's natural landscape". For spectators, that means sand, heat and long distances between points. Plan for all three.

The listed cultural events are:

• Desert rally racing on the Thal track
• Thal cultural activities and traditional dances
• Folk music and a musical night
• Horse riding
• Kabaddi and volleyball

Jhang is also home to the shrine of Hazrat Sultan Bahu at Garh Maharaja, which the district website describes on its home page. Some visitors will want to combine the two trips. Check the distance from the rally site first, because the venue has not been named.

How to plan a visit to the Jhang rally

Wait for the district to name the venue and timings, then plan your trip. Carry water and sun protection, stay behind spectator lines, and follow local police directions. Early October in the Thal can still be hot in the daytime and cool at night.

1. Check the Jhang district website, jhang.punjab.gov.pk, for the final venue and schedule in the first week of October.
2. If you want to drive in the rally, contact the Deputy Commissioner's office for entry rules and deadlines now. Entry details are not online yet.
3. Carry your CNIC. Events of this size usually have security checks at the entry points.
4. Take at least two litres of water per person, a hat and closed shoes for sand.
5. Stay well behind any barrier. Desert rally vehicles throw sand and stones and can leave the track at speed.

For the weather, the Pakistan Meteorological Department said on 27 September that hot and dry weather is expected in most plain areas. That forecast is for the coming days, not for 9 October. Check again closer to the date, and see the most recent PMD weather forecast for how conditions are changing.

What is still not announced

The exact venue, entry fees for spectators, driver registration and a full timetable have not been published on the district website or in the official statement. We will not guess them. Ask the Jhang Deputy Commissioner's office, or check the district website nearer the date.

Other things we could not confirm on 27 September:

• Whether spectators need tickets or passes.
• Prize money, if any, for each class.
• Whether the rally is sanctioned by a national motorsport body, which matters to drivers who race in other events.
• Parking and transport arrangements from Jhang city.

The district website uses the name "Jhang Thal Jeep Rally" on its poster, while the Deputy Commissioner called it the "Jhang Desert Rally and Cultural Festival". Both refer to the same October event.

Common questions

When is the Jhang desert rally in 2026?

It starts on 9 October 2026, as part of a three-day festival. The district has not yet published a day-by-day schedule.

How long is the Jhang rally track?

95 kilometres, through the Thal desert, according to the Deputy Commissioner.

Can women take part in the Jhang desert rally?

Yes. The Deputy Commissioner listed a women's category among the rally classes, along with stock and veterans.

Is there an entry fee to watch the rally?

Not announced. Neither the official statement nor the district website mentions spectator fees as of 27 September 2026.

Who is organising the Jhang Thal rally?

The Jhang district administration, led by Deputy Commissioner Babar Sahib Din, which announced it to promote tourism in the district.

What else happens at the festival apart from racing?

Horse riding, traditional dances, folk music, kabaddi, volleyball and a musical night, according to the Deputy Commissioner.

Last checked and sources

Last checked on 27 September 2026. The start date of 9 October, the three-day length, the 95 km Thal track, the women's, stock and veterans categories, bike racing, the expected 100 drivers and riders, and the list of cultural events come from the Jhang Deputy Commissioner's press conference as carried by Radio Pakistan on 26 September 2026. The "Thal Jeep Rally" promotion, dated 16 September 2026, and the note about the Sultan Bahu shrine are on the Jhang district website. The weather line is from Radio Pakistan's report of the PMD forecast on 27 September 2026. Venue, fees, registration and prizes were not published on either page when we checked.