ISLAMABAD
In Pakistan, trucks plying on roads are "works of art" with subtle and colorful touches rendered by masters in truck painting art.
Known as "truck painting," this art is popular among drivers and owners of trucks in Pakistan, earning them laurels from art lovers all over the globe.
These heavy goods vehicles used for the shipment of products have become "works of art" that color Pakistani roads.
History of art
The origin of the "truck painting art" in Pakistan dates back to the 1920s.
Bedford trucks imported from the UK became the first vehicles carrying colorful paintings.
Transport companies have designed their own logos on wooden panels attached to trucks they own.
Over time, these logos have become fancier with the growing competition between companies.
This practice has progressed further with the work of Haji Hussein, a famous truck painting artist, from Karachi.
After the visits of European and American tourists to Pakistan in the 1960s and 1970s, the trucks that decorate the roads of this country became famous around the world.
Nowadays, "truck painting art" has become a major sector and the income gate for tens of thousands of people.
Hidden stories
Every driver wants his truck to be the best, the most decorated, the most colorful, and the most admired vehicle on the road.
For this reason, owners are also willing to spend a lot of money to decorate their trucks with bright colors, flashy decorations, and many other details.
Those who want to rent trucks also prefer to rent such vehicles, thinking that the stylish and newly painted ones are in better condition.
From a distance, one gets the impression that all the trucks are painted similarly, but for an inquisitive eye, every truck has different decor and a hidden story.
These trucks are embellished with landscapes, floral patterns, paintings of national heroes, religious names, military leaders, poets, animal figures, or epics.
Meticulous attention is paid to the interior and exterior design of the trucks, with eye-catching and shining pieces of art.
20 years of truck painting
When it comes to truck painting, the whole of Pakistan points to Karachi, the city where this practice was born. But today, cities such as Rawalpindi, Peshawar, Lahore, and Quetta have also their share in the truck painting art.
These activities are also carried out in small industrial sites in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi.
Painters, welders, horn-makers, and electricians can be seen working to renovate and decorate the vehicles parked there.
Alamgir Khan, who makes a living by painting trucks, started his career more than 20 years when he was a child.
Khan told Anadolu that the practice is important for Pakistanis, adding: “It's a matter of taste for us.”
“Everyone is trying to make their vehicles more beautiful. With this art, the name of Pakistan stands out in the world,” he stated.
Stating that the painting time of trucks varies according to the requested patterns, Khan said the painting fee starts from 160,000 rupees (about $556).
Traces on all vehicles
Mohammad Hanif, who had Alamgir Khan paint his truck, said that his truck is going to the British capital London.
“We care about this. This is an important culture of Pakistan,” he underlined.
Nowadays, the art of painting extends beyond the country’s borders and Bedford trucks – it can be seen on a variety of vehicles, from motorcycles to three-wheeled rickshaws, from cars to buses, and from planes to trains.
*Writing by Merve Berker
