Annual Classic Car Show, Islamabad

Make Way for Class! Annual Classic Car Show Comes to the Capital

Written by: Ismail Umar - Posted on: November 20, 2014 | Comments | 中国 (Chinese)

The gorgeous leather interior of the 1957 Ford Thunderbird

The Serena Hotel in Islamabad hosted the Annual Classic Car Show 2014 on Tuesday, organized by the Vintage & Classic Car Club of Pakistan (VCCCP) and attended by a host of car enthusiasts from all over the capital. It was the second show organized by the club in Islamabad, and was part of a series of car shows en route from Karachi to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

45 vintage cars spanning almost 100 years were displayed at the show, originating from Italy, Germany, Great Britain and the US. The exhibition boasted household names in car manufacturing such as BMW, Jaguar, Rolls-Royce, Cadillac, Mercedes, Chevrolet, Ford, Buick, British Leyland, Volkswagen; the list goes on and on. The collection included a variety of muscle cars, sports cars, tuners and luxury cars.

The stunning 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood, owned by President Ayub Khan

Among the most prominent vehicles on display were the 1924 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost, driven by Quaid-i-Azam Mohammad Ali Jinnah back in 1947, President Ayub Khan’s stunning 1959 Cadillac Fleetwood, and the Nawab of Bahawalpur’s glinting black 1948 Jaguar, which was driven for Queen Elizabeth and Prince Phillip during their visit to Pakistan. The owners of the vehicles belonged to different areas within the country, and a number of them had driven all the way from Karachi to Islamabad specifically for this exhibition.

Guests at the show included not just aficionados from within the country but also a number of foreign diplomats including the ambassadors of Argentina, Austria, Cuba and South Korea, who lauded the efforts of the VCCCP for promoting a soft image of Pakistan though such initiatives.

Khalid Aslam with his convertible 1950 MGTD

Youlin interviewed Khalid Aslam, the proud owner of a convertible MGTD 1950, driven all the way from Karachi to Islamabad for the car show. He bought the car about fifteen years ago in a worn-out state, and replicated its missing pieces in fiberglass in order to get it restored to its original condition. The restoration process took him three years.

Aslam commended the efforts of the VCCCP for increasing awareness in the country about the maintenance of vintage cars and providing a platform for car enthusiasts to express and share their passions. “10-15 years ago, only about 10 people in the country owned and appreciated the importance of vintage cars. But today, there are 600-700 owners of vintage cars all over Pakistan who look after their vehicles and keep them in mint condition”, said Aslam, attributing this progress to the initiatives of the car club.

The VCCCP, based in Karachi, is the only club of its kind in the country, catering to classic and vintage cars. With every passing year, the car shows are reaching more cities and receiving greater acclaim and coverage. It is hoped that the club will thrive and continue to be appreciated in the country.

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As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
January 2021