I lived in pakistan for a short time and the trucks really do stand out, only problem is they only travel at 10mph, but i guess thats why everyone drives crazy over there, passing on the right and left.

Thank you for a story about something positive in Pakistan.  Although it is a country of strife, violence, political turmoil and countless other problems, it is also a country full of courageous, friendly people that take great joy in life, and do not hesitate to show it in their day-to-day activities.  It is that attitude of joy that is the hope of Pakistan.

yes, indeed it is true that it is fascinating, but natives dont value it anymore!
Its just an ordinary truck that i have been seeing since my childhood!
But now after reading about it here, it makes me realize the value of these artistic vehicles

It makes me happy that there are people who still write what they see and like about a country. Too much has been written in the past decade about Pakistan that is only partially true but how would an outsider know? Your article helps paint a better picture about life in Pakistan. I being a Pakistani myself, know that my people are very humble and hospitable, especially when they see a foreigner. We are always very eager to make our guests feel comfortable. We want them to think about our country and tell their friends and family about the great time they had in Pakistan.

Trucks are decorated elaborately in Inda as well.  In fact, you could say the practice started in India, since Pakistan wasn't even created as a sovereign nation until 1947.

I appreciate for bringing some positive aspect of Pakistan. There are so many positive things about Pakistan, but right now they are buried under few other issues. I hope one day all the issues are resolved, so that we can see the positive picture of the religion and the people of Pakistan.

Zaighum, USA.

Thinking of sending for a couple of those trucks for hauling people back and forth to the airport here in Vegas.   They'd be neat for the hotels and a nice novelty for the visitors.    I can just see them coming down the strip.   P.S.  Nicely written and entertaining piece Michelle.   Welcome back.  Glad your journey was safe and joyful given the circumstances you went.  You certainly will have a wealth of great memories in future years.

Great, positive story.  I had a small flashback to the 60's looking at them.  Pride in a good way.  Keep the stories coming.  The more we know about each other, the sooner we can work as one.

Nice article Michelle, atleast you presented something alternate to the messy picture of Pakistan we see in the media. The thing I like about Pakistan is the warmth and hospitality of their people, it's abolutely unfrogetable. I hope things get better over there for good.

I have seem similar things in Mexico, India and Maylasia. These decorations just scream out "I was born in a third world country!".
I love it.

This report on colorfully painted trucks testifies to the durability of the culture of the people in Pakistan, an ancient culture which, while inspiring positive behaviors among these people, also inspires many of them to want to kill each other.  Perhaps, eventually, they will wish simply to live in peace.

this is really interesting , I would like to hear more
stories like this and about the surrounding countries
around that area. I get really tired of just hearing how blood thirsty and cruel the people are, lets hear more about the good side of life there.  

We have very colorful trucks and taxis in Port-au-Prince, Haiti.

Dear Michelle, This is really a nice posting and I think the fact these trucks are painted so brightly might bring some joy to the people of Pakistan. The trucks certainly do look like works of art. As someone who paints and draws I think it is wonderful. With all the bad things happening in that region this really shows something beautiful to look upon. Bring color into the world and happiness! Great posting Michelle! Peace to all!

They copied this from India. Unfortunately, they did not copy democracy or tolerance.

I think those buses would look really cool after an all-out thermonuclear attack on Pakistan.  Maybe they would be colorful puddles of radioactive metal, sizzling on the sands that had been baked into sheets of glass.  Let's try it and find out.  Adios, rug pilots!

Great story Michelle!  Reminds me of the annual Houston Art Car Parade!  I'd love to see a real imported one entered. Think of all the people you meet and stories you would have driving across country in one of those.  

Check out:  (I'm not affiliated)
http://www.orangeshow.org/artcar_gallery/index.html
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Houston_Art_Car_Parade

Jay Lohmann
TheFreelanceNation.com

Beautiful article!  Michelle, as you may have noticed, many buses are also decorated in a similar fashion.  In fact, here in Ottawa, the Canadian Museum of Civilization has one on display.  It always gets a lot of attention :)

even though it's very interesting, it's sad that this is the only "good" news coming out of that country in a while.

Its good to read something positive about Pakistan. Otherwise the media is always portraying it as a slum "terrorist" country forgetting in the process the dangers faced by it internally and all the "blessed" foreign intervention it has been receiving since its foundation.
Thanks Michelle for bypassing the "RED" lens of the mainstream media.

Pakistan Zindabaad!! Each time I am in Pakistan I love seeing those trucks! They are only a small part of all the vivid colors that exemplify the Extraordinary and Brilliant 'Life' found only in Pakistan. America mere mulk hai, leiken Pakistan mere ghar hai...America is my country, but Pakistan is my home. Seeing these photos squeezes my heart and causes a longing to go 'home'.

Thank you for the interesting article.  This is the side of journalism that we need to see more of.

This is in response to Ed Smith of Colorado as he has an open mind and prepared to listen something positive about that part of the world. I wrote this in response to an article that contained usual negative stuff based on wilfull ignorance as you normally see in western press. I hope this will give a real perspective; what Afghanistan was and what happened to that poor country.

(I respect people as they are. I believe that one has no right to be judgmental about the way of life of others. It is a colonial and conquerors way of thinking to subjugate first and then try  to turn the subjects in the image their masters; a godly approach as is said that God has created man in His image)

In 1960s as a young man I traveled throughout Afghanistan by road and saw most of the interior and cities: Kabul, Ghazni, Qandhar, Mazar-e-Sharif and Balkh. Those were the good old and peaceful days of King Zahir Shah.

I found people extremely friendly and helpful. My wife and I were sitting in the restaurant of the hotel we were staying in that an old man approached us and requested to join the wedding ceremony of his son taking place in the adjacent hall. We both attended and after the rituals a register was circulated among the guests for signatures as witnesses and we also signed. The dinner and celebration went on till late in the night.

The Kabul city was bustling with economic activities. There were road side cafés and shops were full of dry fruits, crockery, textile, latest electronics etc. The city was frequented by tourists from Western and neighboring countries. People used to come to Kabul for shopping as western goods that were not available in the neighboring countries. I remember there was a street as long as one could see with shops on either sides selling secondhand clothing, shoes, curtains, purses etc.  


Nowhere in the world had I found money changers sitting casually on the pavement with bundles of Afghanis and hard currency bills in US Dollar, Pond Sterling and Douche Mark. It was an astonishing sight at a time when most of the third world and communist countries were under strict exchange control. It was a “crime” to own foreign currency and not to surrender it to the central bank.

I can not imagine what would happen if somebody is sitting with that much cash on a busy walkway of a “civilized” western city like New York.  

The countryside was extremely conservative but Kabul was a city of contrast. I saw signs of change every where, though one could argue that the pace of change was slow. There were women in the streets covered head to toe alongside young women in dresses. My wife did not cover and nobody objected to In the morning I used to see groups of children, girls and boys, in school uniforms. Both sexes were manning the street traffic in police uniform. I visited a bank branch and a female teller attended me. There were theaters in Kabul city showing Indian movies. I went to an open air theater in Qandhar, not realizing how cold it could be in the evening though it was middle of summer.  The city of Kabul and entire Afghanistan that I traveled was so peaceful. My wife and I never felt unsafe taking a stroll in Kabul in the middle of the night.

So what happened to that poor peaceful country?  In December 1979 the secretive top brass of Soviet Union decided to move in troops and occupy Afghanistan. For what purpose – reaching warm waters but Afghanistan had no shore line or just expanding the empire on Central Asian side. It was as stupid a venture for Soviets as America’s in Iraq. After the Soviet invasion the Americans sponsored “jihad” (the very Jihad that American hate now) with the help another army ruler Gen. Zia-ul-Haq in Pakistan and the fighters were called Mujahideen in the Western media. It is branded as the largest covert operation in CIA’s history.  

However, that occupation that lasted for ten years and American sponsored counter offensive left Afghanistan completely devastated. Millions of Afghans were displaced and took refuge in Iran and Pakistan. Since then the peace is elusive. The invaders did not realize that the social fabric of a society evolves over a period of time and it is difficult to bring the symmetry back once it is disturbed. It is not tap water that can be shut off and on at will. Even the military of a super power that costs $450 billion a year to its taxpayers is experiencing the limit of raw power in Iraq.

The Taliban Connection

As for your comments about Taliban, the monster was created and armed by Pakistan military and Saudi money with the approval of America. The purpose was to raise a force of Sunni Pashtoons, who form majority in Afghanistan and live on both sides of the Durand Line, to counter the influence of Northern Alliance (United Islamic Front called Northern Alliance in the West and dominated by Shia of Tajik, Hazara and Uzbek origin living in north of the country and that is why called Northern Alliance) that was supported by Iran.

By 1996 more then 70% of Afghanistan was ruled by Taliban who were pro-Pakistan and anti-Iran. To that extent American objective was achieved and an anti-Iran and pro-American/pro-Pakistan regime was installed. The regime was recognized by three countries in the world --- Pakistan, Saudi Arabia and UAE.

America had no qualms with the primitiveness of Taliban, their harsh treatment of women or litany of other flaws that got currency in the Western media after 9/11. The Taliban mullahs were given royal treatment for four days in 1997 in Sugar Land, Texas by Unocal and Enron executives. The visit was aimed at getting Taliban’s cooperation to build a pipe line to carry gas and oil deposits from Uzbekistan and Turkmenistan to Indian Ocean through Afghanistan and Pakistan. The State Department’s press officer confirmed that the Taliban delegation visited to discuss business with oil companies.

So Taliban were not as bad before 9/11 and America could do business with them like it has been doing with the other Arab autocratic regimes.

Conclusion:

Michelle,

Thanks for great contribution and positive side of Pakistan. I have seen those trucks since my childhood and never gave importance to them. There are also many other positive things in Pakistan need to be exposed to West e.g.: High class Fashion fabric and Designers, Music, Paintings, Food, High Peak, Valleys and world class beaches on south. Pakistan is melting point of many races, culture and food. Every single area got different flavour of different influence. It’s truly Hybrid multi cultural country, which most of people in west don’t know about it.  Unfortunately, Western media never tried to explore positive things about it as they always been interested in war stuff since Russian invasion or controversial side of it.

Well, I am freelance photographer living in London and thinking to spare my time to do some projects about Pakistan.

Thanks for waking me up and others. :)

RF

 P.S: I know my fellow bro. quickly point out about that "practice started from India since Pakistan wasn't even created as a sovereign nation until 1947" Now we are in 2008 and its more then 60 years now to die old generation of craft men. By the way, I been to India twice but I never seen such intense Art work on trucks. They mostly have done in several cities in Pakistan from up North to South of Country.

It was realy heartning to see some thing posative written about my country. One have to be there to have a real feel of the people, their culture and their hospetality. All its ills aside, people just need a true leader.

Makes me think of Berkeley.Culture is what we make of it, and it would be a worse world were there no "parties on wheels"!

i cant tell you who im mad abt,but everybody will know who,pakistani people plz stay strong and unit against tyrany,democracy for ever!!!! vote in the elections on 18th february for the good of pakistan.
you all live in a great place .

It is fascinating to see such an ornate scene in other country like Pakistan, to have such a scrupulous beauty to offer the world, yet so demented when it comes to their beliefs. Too bad that they spend their time killing each other! They could have spent it on creating a new beginning for their country, instead of unjustified elimination of one’s life; they should focus more on ideas that can benefit their culture and their products and not so much on their political and religious beliefs.      

Nice work you are doing that showing the truck of pakistan but i want to say something to you that the foreigner come from the other country came only to visit islamabad, Lahore, karachi, and N.W.F.P. but no one wants to come to Balochitan I live in Quetta my friend come i will show you the culture and the area of balochistan, My email is written i invite you,  

The farmers in my former husband's village in Gujrat used to decorate their tractors the same way and repainted them regularly and elaborately -- some had speakers so that they could play music while they worked.  

Michelle Thank you for the positive attitude. For all the people who live in west, let me tell you Pakistan is a country of one of the most friendly races in the world. Just visit us and you will know how we welcome and serve our guests. We live like normal people as in any other part of the worlds. It is my request to media to stop exaggerating negativities and start projecting something positive, Please. Michelle, Thanks again

Pakistan is a paradox if ever there was one. Truly unforgettable people with amazing hospitality and zest for life, mixing tragically with the terrorists. What a shame that the terrorist narrative has taken over.

I'm a Pakistani-American & have visited over 25 countries.People everywhere are the same..loving,humble,friendly,humane,helpful etc.It's either the media or politicians portraying some as evil or better than others..(remember 'axis of evil!).when Britain left in 1947 after ruling us for 300 yrs,some stayed back or frequently visited us..but no one troubled or harmed them. The violence against Britons/Americans by a handful of our people is a very recent phenominon..May God make our world loving & peaceful again...AMEN

"I was born in a third world country!".

ur point? :S this has a cultural significance..sth we value alot,

To Jay Williams, Monroe, NJ: Prior to 15 August 1947 India or Pakistan did not exist. It was the British Indian Empire which consisted of present-day India, Pakistan, and Bangladesh. Also at some point Aden,  Lower Burma, Upper Burma, British Somaliland, and Singapore. India became an sovereign country on Aug,15 1947 hence their Independence day is on Aug 15.

Thank you michelle kosinki for a small but wonderful and positive piece on Paksitan. It is indeed a country of beautiful and wonderful people. All we need there is literacy and the people will do the rest. Right now the people are like sheep being led by wolves.

There is a reason for these truck decorations. Trucks in this part of the world are often overloaded up to 200%, often with normal goods so that the truck owners can earn as much as they can in one trip. These decorations are merely a facade to hide all the extra cases they're carrying. They used to overload trucks in India too, but they've reduced it because it destroys the roads and the authorities are clamping down on it severely.

I could not stop reading this very interesting story of the artistic prowess and culture of the Pakistani truck drivers. I have been reading with much sadness the other stories of death, dismay and pain in recent times but this story shows that there are some good, encouraging, life breathing stories that can be told if we only take the time to see with our eyes.

yeah well, Karachi is currently the only city in the world in which dozens die one day and life returns to normal the next day... which other city could boast that :-(
The world has to admire us for our resilience ... its sad that people only talk negatively about us.

Thanks for the nice article about Pakistan.  I have never been there, but I've traveled to India in the past.  There are good people there, and I appreciate you acknowledging a positive side to that part of the world.

thank you for such a great article it made me relaxed for a while

These trucks are an eyesore, unsafe design and promote culture of wasting money and useless competition. A freight truck in Pakistan needs to be safe in design, simple in looks, conforming to international industry standards and use more axles to distribute load over the pavement (mostly under-designed and stressed) instead of investing on outside décor. The poetry and slogans written on the truck bodies are totally disgraceful and indicative of our illiteracy and people finding pride in worthless competition.

Message (please, no HTML tags. Web addresses will be hyperlinked):