1 Pakistan's truck art

All over in Pakistan,but particularly in Quetta,Dera Ghazi Khan,Peshawar,Mansehra,Rawalpindi and Karachi you will see them.

Men and boys working in the booking truck-painting industry.To a background noise of traffic and blaring music,these highly skilled truck artist continue the tradition of decorating enormous trucks with a dazzling kaleidoscope of folk art.No wonder that these masterpieces on wheel have become a tourism Symbol for Pakistan,now recognized all over the world.

Today's truckers are the successors of many generation of traders who transported goods by camel caravan along roughly similar routes from the cost of Pakistan inland to central Asia.

The tradition of dressing up the camel's for the carvaan is an ancient one ,and just as the camel decoration identified the traders,various ethinic groups.

So today's truckers art tells you where the truck as come from and it's driver ethinic group.

No one can mistake a Peshawar truck for example with it's painting of cricket legends,Bab-e-Khyber,mountains and stream along with lines of poetry in pashto language.see side panels painted with vibrant F-16 jets,Shaheen missiles and cut out peacocks,and on the back a larger-then-life portrait of Field Marshal General Ayub Khan and film star Shan,and you know the truck is from Rawalpindi,much closer to the capital.

Truck art is big Business in Pakistan.Karachi is the port city of 14 million people's said to employ over 50,000 people's in small family-run paint shops.like a medieval guild,a typical Pakistani Workshop employs a set of skilled craftsmen for the highly specialized work.An electrician installs wiring,a metal worker fashions artifacts such as a dangling leaf chains,a carpenters curves arbesque Inlays on cab doors upholsterer embroiders window flap with silver and gold thread.The master painter creates images with delicate layers and glazes,whilst his assistant help him with backgrounds and borders.There is a poet on hand to write an eye-catching poetic inscription.This labour-intensive Operation usually take six to 10 weeks.Douring this period,many drivers hover around the workshops like part of the extended family,suggesting possible subjects and alterations,earning nothing during the time Thier truck is being spiffed up.Unbelievably,the majority of truckers lavishly spend money on a full makeover of Thier vehicles every three or four years.

None of these skill come cheap,but those who make Thier living from truck driving,painting the vehicles is an essential.It may be as a way of expressing thanks for prosperity to attract customers, or to keep with all the other decorated trucks.Whatever the reason for having the painstaking work done,it is expensive.Trucks owners frequently spend more on Thier trucks than Thier houses,or they will often spend the equivalent of two years profit on a basic painting and body job.Recently the trucking magnate lavished over 3,00000 on a decoration job which Tooks more then four months to execute. More modestly,Muhammad Ahmad from Abbottabad earns up to 50000PKR a month but his truck is being repainted at a cost of 1,00000PKR. Two years ago he and his brother paid 600,000PKR for stem- to- stern Bodywork. ''The money become partly from savings'' he said. In addition, family members gave some money and the rest was a loan. It's all part of business. Drivers are convinced that the money is well spent. If a driver can't afford to decorate his truck, customers reckon he's no good. The Taj helps to protect her loads From the eyes of police. The police are less likely to stop well painted truck.