KARACHI: The Karachi to Khyber 9th Annual Cross Country Rally organised by the Vintage and Classic Car Club of Pakistan (VCCCP) saw some 35 to 40 heritage vehicles flagging off from Governor House here early on Saturday morning. Sindh Governor Imran Ismail and the US Consul General JoAnne Wagner saw them off.

“The cars, which would be making their first stop at Gambat, will then go on to Bahawalpur to reach Lahore on Dec 3 for a three-day grand car show at the Polo Club there. This would be followed with another car show at the Serena Hotel in Islamabad before they reach Peshawar for the third car show at the Islamia College on Dec 8,” VCCCP chairman and founder Mohsin Ikram travelling in his favourite shiny red MG-A convertible with Uzma, his better half, shared their itinerary.

He also said that they specially organised this rally every year to show the cars to the people of Pakistan while increasing their interest and knowledge about classic cars. “We also want them to know how important it is to save and preserve heritage,” he said. “It also portrays a soft image of Pakistan in the West.”

In all the Rolls Royce, MGs, Ford Mustang, Ford Thunderbird, Mercedes, Corvette, Chevrolet, Jaguar E-Type, Aston Martin, etc, red was the dominant colour. “That’s because red is associated with power and muscle cars,” explained Liaquat Malik who had brought his red 1965 Ford Mustang. His son Samir, who had just reached Karachi from Chicago via Doha at 1am, meanwhile, was driving a 1973 greenish gold Buick Riviera. Asked if he was not too jet-lagged to drive, the young man smiled back. “My passion for classic cars will overcome my jet lag,” he said.

Classic car collector Abdul Wahid was there with his 1961 Jaguar E-Type, his 1963 Rolls Royce and his 1967 Aston Martin. Imad Samad was going to drive in his bright red 1960 Chevrolet Impala with his wife Fozia and three little children Furqan, Maryam and Zain ul Abedin. Meanwhile, his two older sons Shayan and Faizan were co-drivers of their Ford Thunderbird.

Karim Chhapra was also there with his pride and joy, the 1924 Rolls Royce Silver Ghost and Altaf Hashwani had brought his 1947 Rolls Royce Silver Wraith as Mansoor Ul Islam had come with his newly-acquired 1938 Rolls Royce. Chhapra’s Silver Ghost carried special significance as he said that it was the car in which Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah had ridden in from the very Governor House to the Sindh Assembly to take oath as the first Governor General of Pakistan on Aug 14, 1947. Chhapra later even gave Governor Ismail and US CG Wagner a quick round of Governor House in his car.

“I am really very pleased and impressed with the VCCCP, its founder Mohsin Ikram and all the lovers of classic cars here today,” he said. “All these cars here have their own story. They are our historical assets, a national heritage and the way they have been restored and are being cared for by you all says a lot about what kind of people we Pakistanis are to the world outside. It also shows that there is no issue of law and order in Pakistan anymore as you are travelling all over the country in the cars. We should hold more such rallies, even on the international level,” he concluded.

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2018