How one man’s love of precious stones affected his choice of transportation

Yar claims to be the only man in Lahore with such a varied collection of gemstones

PHOTO: EXPRESS

LAHORE:


Some people get stoned in cars. Some people get their cars stoned. Rana Muhammad Yar has travelled around the world in search of the rarest and most attractive stones.

Every finger on his hands is a testament to that. But it doesn’t end with his hands. One look at his car will make you forget those rings.

The high rate of street crimes in Pakistan’s cultural capital did not hold Muhammad Yar back from adorning his car with the valuable stones – ruby, topaz, carnelian, bloodstone, yellow jasper, quartz, and turquoise – collected from various countries. Yar claims to be the only man in town with such a varied collection. Express was hard pressed to counter this claim.



PHOTO: EXPRESS

The pickup truck is embellished with precious stones, so much so that it almost bears the look of a bride wearing too much jewellery. The interior, bonnet, side mirrors and doors are all covered with precious stones.


And for those who don’t bat an eyelid at Yar’s car, there is even a large Greco-Indian inspired statue in the cargo bed.

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Speaking with Express in an exclusive interview, Yar said that his interest in precious stones started when he was a child, but he never knew how much it would amplify over time. “I have collected different types of precious jewels from every nook and corner of Pakistan as well as from Germany, Holland, Iran, and several other countries.”

“It feels great when people ask for permission to take pictures of my car, but some act ‘mischievously’ and remove stones. It hurts to see people act that way, but still, I don’t say a word to them.”

PHOTO: EXPRESS


He added that I do not know the total worth of all the precious stones he owns, but they easily run into many millions.

Yar shared that the collection of the stones from across the globe is so rare and attractive that the biggest variety of it rests with him. Hence, he does not permit anyone to sit in his car and neither there is any space vacant in it. Replying to a question, Rana Muhammad Yar admitting his keen interest for the precious stones called them the assets of his life.
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