Pakistani Classic Cars Website Drives A Passion

A Pakistani classic cars site has turned a hobby into a passionate exchange for classic car restorers and lovers of open roads. PakWheels.com is one of the fast growing website devoted to all things auto where fans swap stories and laugh over jokes from their trips, speeding classic cars down deserted highways in bandit territories around Pakistan. Abdul Haseeb Awan, 23, an electrical engineer and businessman, drove from the cool hills of the capital Islamabad down south through the breadbasket of Pakistan, then through desert to Karachi, swinging southwest to the port city of Gwadar on the glittering Arabian Sea. The website introduced him to friends when he moved from the northwest to study in the purpose-built capital, often likened to “a living graveyard” because of its limited entertainment. After a lifetime restoring Volkswagen Beetles, Khalid Mehmood, 49, says his business today thrives on online recommendations. Another enthusiast, driving a Mitsubishi Pajero, joined Mirza and other friends on the 650-kilometre coastal road heading out of Karachi along the Arabian Sea and into Balochistan. Despite traditional clubs in major cities, Internet forums increasingly facilitate interaction and allow car enthusiasts to swap experiences. Digging out vintage cars from junk yards, restoring them to their former glory and hitting the tarmac is a growing passion for enthusiasts tapping into the chat rooms of Pakistan’s busiest websites.