It all started with a casual trip to the Cholistan Desert Rally with no helmet, no racing boots, just a curious spectator soaking up the roaring engines and desert sun. But for Omar JavedChaudhry, that one visit in 2019 changed everything. “I was standing on the sidelines watching my friend Shahzain Abassi race,” Omar recalls. “And I remember thinking, ‘This doesn’t look too hard. I could do this.’” Most people let thoughts like that fade with the dust. Omar didn’t.

By the time he returned home, he’d already made up his mind. He bought a vehicle, started tweaking it, and threw himself into the wild world of off-road rallying. Just months later, he entered his first-ever race at the Sarfaranga Desert Rally in the dramatic high-altitude landscape of Gilgit-Baltistan. He made it to the podium on his debut. That was all the fuel he needed.

Nawazish Sial and Omar Chaudhary during Cholistan Jeep Rally.

A sport that humbles you

Since that unexpected first win, Omar has raced through the iconic deserts of Cholistan, Thar, and beyond, each terrain offering its own version of beauty, brutality, and chaos.

“Every rally is unpredictable. Sometimes it’s soft sand that slows you down, other times it’s river crossings or high-speed stretches where one wrong move can end it all,” he says. “I’ve had breakdowns in the middle of nowhere. I’ve even flipped my car. You think you’re in control and then the desert reminds you who’s boss.”

Yet, he keeps coming back. Not just for the thrill, but for the bond that forms between racers, machines, and the vast, untamed land they race across. “There’s a rush, yes. But there’s also this strange peace. The desert doesn’t lie rather it tests your patience, your preparation, and your grit. That’s what keeps me going.” 

More than just a driver

Desert rallying, as it turns out, is far from a one-man show. “In off-roading, the co-driver is your lifeline. They’re reading the terrain, guiding you, calling the shots, you trust their voice more than your own instincts,” Omar says. “It’s like they’re in your head, steering your reactions.”

And then there’s the machine. Omar races with a heavily modified off-roader, fine-tuned for the kind of punishment that would snap an ordinary vehicle in half. “Everyone talks about horsepower and speed, but safety comes first. Roll cages, racing harnesses, reinforced underbodies, those are non-negotiable. You’re literally trusting your life to this build.” Still, no matter how much you prepare, the desert has a way of throwing a curveball. “It’s a machine. You can do everything right and it can still surprise you. That’s rallying.”

Not just twice a year

While some assume desert rallies are seasonal thrills, Omar’s calendar tells a different story. “I don’t just race once or twice a year. I go whenever I can, if the car’s ready and I’m ready, I’m racing,” he says. Preparation is a year-round effort. Between rallies, his team tears the car down, fixes wear and tear, installs upgrades, and studies each track like a chessboard. “I race with OC Racing, which is part of Max Dirt, Pakistan’s biggest off-road racing team. Asif bhai, the founder, has been a massive support. He doesn’t just help with logistics, he mentors us. Always pushing us to learn more, race smarter, get better.”

For Omar, each rally is a learning experience. The seniors offer feedback. Mistakes become lessons. And victories? They’re just milestones on a much longer road. “As long as I’m learning, I’m happy,” he says. “I don’t know what the future holds that’s Allah’s domain. But I know I want to keep racing, keep pushing, and represent Pakistan in this sport with everything I’ve got.”

Racing for more than trophies

As Pakistan marks another Independence Day, Omar’s journey is a fitting reminder that patriotism isn’t always wrapped in flags or speeches. Sometimes, it’s found in a revving engine, a roll cage, and a trail of dust across the homeland’s most challenging terrains.

“You feel it when you’re out there, this pride in the land you’re racing on,” he says. “It’s wild, unforgiving, but it’s ours. And being part of that, it’s something else.”