JHANG — Festivities at maiden Jhang Desert Jeep Rally turned tragic after a paragliding accident claimed the life of a pilot in the Thal Desert, near Rehmatabad in Athara Hazari tehsil, Jhang district.
The paraglider caught fire shortly after takeoff or while airborne before crashing to the ground. The pilot died at the scene, while another person, reportedly a 16-year-old boy, sustained injuries and was shifted to hospital for medical treatment.
جھنگ میں ڈیزرٹ سفاری میں پشاور کا گلائڈر حادثہ کا شکار ہو کر مارا گیا ہے
پیرا گلائڈنگ کرتے اس کا کرافٹ گر گیا اور اسے آگ لگ گئی
اللہ پاک سب کو امان میں رکھے https://t.co/49yjuJmn0Z— RAShahzaddk (@RShahzaddk) October 17, 2026
The incident occurred during the three-day rally and cultural festival, scheduled from October 16 to 18, raising urgent questions about the circumstances surrounding the flight and what caused the aircraft to catch fire.
Paragliding was among the attractions included in the cultural programme accompanying the jeep rally. What was intended to be a spectacle for festivalgoers ended in a fatal accident when the paraglider reportedly caught fire and crashed.
Authorities have yet to establish whether a mechanical fault, an engine or fuel-system problem, or another factor contributed to the fire. Any explanation for the cause would be premature without the findings of an official investigation.
The condition of the injured person and further details about the circumstances of the crash had not been independently confirmed in the initial reports reviewed.
Social media posts and videos circulating after the incident have identified the deceased pilot as Qazi Zafar, also referred to in some accounts as Muhammad Zafar, reportedly from Peshawar. Some posts have put his age at around 40.
The tragedy casts shadow over the first-ever Jhang Desert Rally, an event organized by the district administration under Deputy Commissioner Babar Sahib Din to promote tourism, local traditions and the cultural heritage of the Thal region.
Running from October 16 to 18, the rally was planned around an approximately 95-kilometre off-road racing track, with around 100 participants expected, including female drivers.
Beyond the racing competition, the accompanying festival featured a range of traditional sports and recreational attractions, including tent pegging, kabaddi, volleyball, horseback archery and paragliding. The venue near Rehmatabad in Athara Hazari tehsil was also identified in pre-event coverage.
