KARACHI: While the world talks about terrorism, militancy and bombs when it comes to Pakistan, a club in Karachi is trying to portray a positive image of the country by driving vintage cars on the city’s roads.
A travel agent Mohsin Ikram formed the Vintage & Classic Car Club of Pakistan that arranges annual gatherings to display their favourite cars.
The club has more than 80 members, each of whom owns an antique car such as a Lincoln Continental Cabriolet, a 1954 Austin-Healey, a Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost or a 1968 Aston Martin DB6.
“I have eight classic cars including a white 1947 Lincoln Continental Cabriolet V12 that belonged to Zahir Shah, the last king of Afghanistan, who had gifted it to his relative Shah Wali Khan, the first ambassador of Afghanistan in the country,” Ikram said.
He said, he bought the car in mid-1990s in scrap condition and started searching for the parts in different countries.
“I found some in the US, some in other countries. Then I worked on the car myself,” he added.
Another member, the owner of a 1929 Packard Phaeton, claimed the car belonged to the Maharaja of Patiala (Indian Punjab).
He said he had another car that was said to be used by Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah’s father.
Ikram said, “Maintaining vintage cars is costly, but we love to drive them in the city, as people gather around the cars to revel in their beauty.”
Daily Times - Leading News Resource of Pakistan
