It might be a common sight on the streets of Pakistan but this beautifully decorated vehicle is the only one of its kind in the region.
This Pakistani-style bus made its first appearance on the streets of Lancashire on Eid day and Asian Image just had to track it down.
Truck art in the Asian sub continent is one of the most alluring features of life in the countries. In Pakistan, artists are highly renowned for their skills and expertise.
The owners, Shazad and Imran Akhtar said the whole project took over 18 months to complete.
Imran said, ‘We wanted to add something to our wedding car hire fleet and felt this area really needed something like this. Wherever it goes it turns heads and causes a traffic jam!
“It has had a very warm welcome from people of all communities who just have to have a picture with it and want to have a look inside.
“It was not easy but the final result really takes your breath away.
“We built the whole bus from scratch with dedicated designers and craftsmen in Pakistan. We were getting e-mails every day about any changes and updates.”
Each part of the vehicle is decorated differently, with variations depending on the regional style.
Although the decorative process is usually very expensive, it is still practiced throughout Pakistan as well as a few other countries with great zeal.
It transports up to 14 passengers, has a top speed of 70mph and is driven by a HGV driver who has previous experience of operating one of these vehicles in Pakistan.
Shazad added, ‘It meets all safety standards and is fully UK compliant with seat belts for every passenger. It is fully registered with the DVLA and road legal.
“It came via a container which was the easiest way to bring it over.”
The bus is available for hire for weddings, special occasions and product launches and any other events.
“ It has already been booked for several events and we have had interest from companies such as Elephant Atta and East End.”
But Imran did say that despite the end result they wouldn’t be going through building one again.
“If I was going to do this project again I wouldn’t as the amount of work that went into it! There were just so many things to take into consideration.”
And finally, no you can’t ride on the roof or hang from the back…health and safety won’t allow it!
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