Decorated Trucks and Taxis, Pakistan

Truks & Buses are the most important means of transport in the country. Every owner of a bus or truck who takes a pride in himself takes care that his vehicle is highly decorated. Busses and trucks in Pakistan are loaded beyond the limit not only with goods but also with images, ornaments and symbols. Hammered trims from shining metal, shimmering rosettes, reflectors of all colours, wood carvings, colourful chains & calligraphies beautify the trucks. The sides & the back exhibit the art of truck painters. The wooden sides are divided by struts into small segments which are often completely filled with different motifs. Flowers, animals, landscapes & portraits of women are represented most frequently, twined around with painted garlands & ornaments. Mythical images like Buraq, the winged horse of Prophet Mohammad’s the celestial journey, portraits of popular Pakistani personalities or pictures of famous buildings can be found there.
These images are moving testimonies of Pakistani culture & society. They express the values, dreams & desires of the people (and especially the men). Pairs of small birds, peacocks, beasts of prey and flowers are also motifs of the country’s pictorial poetry. Often one can see hill landscapes with wooded slopes and lakes that remind of Kashmir, Pakistan’s unfulfilled political dream. There is no truck without the Muslim creed, one of the names of God or the name of the Prophet. Religious motifs are part and parcel of truck art. The high construction above the driver’s cab is almost always decorated with pictures of the pilgrim places at Mecca. The big Faisal-Mosque of Islamabad is another popular image. Calligraphies mention names of popular saints or pilgrim places. Painted eyes avert the evil eye. Many of the images are taken from more profane realms. The idols of the nation play an important role. Imran Khan who was a cricket star in the first half of the nineties was frequently immortalized on trucks, just as movie heroes like Rambo or Tarzan.

PAKISTAN IS----------- OVERCROWDED TAXI'S.

PAKISTAN IS---------BEAUTIFUL BUSES LIKE THESE.