The Motor Club of Pakistan will take a cross country trip across three nations — Pakistan, Iran and Turkey , the club whose foundation was laid down in January 2015, is an attempt to bring nuance to the global narrative of Pakistan and project a “softer image.”
According to Razi Nayyer, the president of the club, “tourism in the country is slowly dying due to upheavals over the last 15 years. Before that the country used to see many foreigners but now it is considered to be the epicentre of terrorism.”
A history buff with a passion for cars, Nayyer felt the best way to fight back was to get on the road, travel to neighbouring countries and tackle the misconstrued version of Pakistan’s image one mile at a time.
The physical manifestation was ‘Drive to Turkey’, a 12,000 km-long drive from Pakistan, through the rugged terrain of Iran and from the Asian side of Turkey to the European, and back again.
A little over a month spent on the road in the harsh winter, the convoy of five vintage and classic cars and around 30 individuals including women and children, braved snow storms en route but never lost sight of the goal.
Though originally the drive was scheduled for September 2015, delays were recurrent either due to security concerns or procedural delays in getting visas. Permission for the vehicles to enter Turkish borders also took a while as it was an unprecedented example.
Security provisions were made by the government in collaboration with the Pakistan Tourism and Development Corporation. The interior ministry was looped in which instructed the IGPs of Sindh and Balochistan to make the necessary arrangements. After the convoy passed through several cities in both provinces, they entered Iran unscathed.
For Abdul Basit Khan, director marketing of the club and an avid road traveller, as most of the route was less travelled, several concerns were raised in the planning stage.
“We had to look at almost all aspects in minute detail — from booking hotels, charting out road networks and diversions, identifying fuelling points, managing expenses for food, among others. Coordination was very essential.”
Khan recounted the different ways the travellers kept in touch with each other while staying on course and technology was indispensable on this front.
GPS was an essential requirement and different navigation software and applications were downloaded onto phones. “We also had wireless sets which we only used in Turkey as in Iran they were not allowed.”
Despite extensive organisation, the drive was not without incident. They witnessed emotional upheavals, technological breakdowns, as well as mechanical issues alongside extreme weather where they had to even drive through conditions of zero visibility.
He recalled a particular rough patch during the drive through Erzurum, Turkey, where one of the cars broke down. “There was a small issue with the diesel filter of the car. But to fix it was a major challenge due to the freezing temperature. It was so cold that I would lose my voice within moments of stepping out of the car.”
But they remained on course to make history for Pakistan with cars including the 1964 Mercedes-Benz 190D, 1974 Jaguar XJ6 and 1989 Chevrolet Caprice Classic.
“You meet all kinds of people on the road,” mused Khan. “Some are helpful, some not so much. There tends to be a language barrier which should be dealt with by knowing enough to communicate.
“Security personnel at times can be tough to deal with too. And then of course there are the demands of the long drive and the changing weather. It is thus imperative that one be up for the challenge.”
Despite the support extended by the government, the Pakistani embassy in Tehran was, according to Khan, a let-down. Prior to their departure, the Motor Club had tried to get in touch with authorities there but without any success. And while passing through the country, staff at the embassy was inhospitable and not willing to extend any courtesies to their fellow countrymen.
The first international drive by the Motor Club of Pakistan is not a lone attempt. Scheduled for July 2016, the next drive will continue on to Italy, with Europe’s pastoral setting a welcome addition to the scenic route.
