Queen of the highway: On the road again

Vintage cars were on display and spotlight was shining on Mohsin Ikram's Volkswagen - first of its kind in Pakistan

KARACHI:

Engines were roaring as people walked in to the parking lot of the Forum on Sunday afternoon. Vintage cars were on display and the spotlight was shining on Mohsin Ikram's Volkswagen - the first of its kind in Pakistan. "A German couple drove to Pakistan in this in 1951," he said pointing towards his black Volkswagen.

"The customs officers confiscated the vehicle from the couple as there was some issue over the documentation. It was then bought by a man called Jaleel Ahmed and 15 years later, Ikram bought it from Ahmed. While talking about his car, Ikram said that it was the only original Volkswagen with a split rare window. Another stunner was Nidal Shaikh's 1968 Volkswagen. The vehicle stood out as unlike the others, it was rusty. "According to the Brazilians, this is in," he said. "They keep their vehicles rusty, dirty and low. This is known as the 'rat look'. I even put some dents and scratches deliberately to get this look."

Published in The Express Tribune, February 2rd, 2015.