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Fatima Jinnah's Cadillac and Mercedes Benz restored to their original condition

Fatima Jinnah's Cadillac and Mercedes Benz restored to their original condition

The cars will formally be handed over to the culture department of the Government of Sindh
08 May, 2018

Miss Fatima Jinnah’s 1955 Cadillac Series 62 Convertible and her 1965 Mercedes Benz 200, which had been driven to ruin over the years due to negligence by their caretakers, have been restored to their original condition with the heritage vehicles placed at the Quaid-i-Azam House, or Flagstaff House as it is also known, on Monday.

The cars will formally be handed over to the culture department of the Government of Sindh on Wednesday when they will also be opened for display to the public in their newly built glass garage.

“The cars will receive some minor cosmetic attention before then,” said a very happy Mohsin Ikram, founder and president of the Vintage and Classic Car Club of Pakistan and Motorheads Pakistan, who had been brought in as consultant with his team to take care of the entire restoration work.

The display garage for the cars is based on the Quaid-i-Azam House architecture..
The display garage for the cars is based on the Quaid-i-Azam House architecture..

“Even now, the Cadillac is 100 per cent ready but the Mercedes I will call 98pc complete as it is still missing its star at the front,” he said about the Benz logo.

He added that the display garage for the cars was based on the Quaid-i-Azam House architecture. “We also used the same stone in its construction,” he said.

Watching proudly as the shining heritage vehicles arrived at the Quaid-i-Azam House on their own power, the man who had helped restore them seemed to become a bit sentimental. “I struggled for 19 years to save these cars,” he said.

Mr Ikram had first discovered them in the garages of the Mohatta Palace from where they had been pulled out and left under the open sky when the palace was being restored. The labourers there used to eat their food on the cars’ bonnets. Many of their parts were also stolen then. After his raising alarm about this the cars, which by that time were even without wheels, were literally dragged to the Sindh Archives building causing them further damage. It was after his continuously writing letters to the editor in newspapers and sending applications to the government that he was handed over the cars for restoration.

It took less than two years, 21 months precisely, from Aug 8, 2016 to May 7, 2018, for the work on the cars to be completed.


Originally published in Dawn, May 8th, 2018

Comments

Aleem May 08, 2018 11:46am
Well done Sir. It is amazing to see selfless people like you still working for the country. No words to thank you.
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Asad May 08, 2018 11:48am
Thanks you Mohsin Sb. country in debt to you. Such a sad way to treat your heroes :(
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Khan May 08, 2018 11:51am
Please make a documentary on this historic restoration. Would be a delight to watch. Kudos to Mr. Ikram and his team!!
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Dr Mughal -UK May 08, 2018 11:57am
Bravo ... Great work ..
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Asad Baig May 08, 2018 12:05pm
Hats off to Mr. Mohsin Ikram for all his efforts. Great achievement in restoring a unique part of Pakistan's history!
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Syed Chishti May 08, 2018 12:11pm
A very nice job, Mr. Ikram. Beautiful cars.
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A@A May 08, 2018 12:17pm
Super....
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chengez k May 08, 2018 12:18pm
WOW........Great Guy................a true lieutenant of Quaid !!!!
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Kamran May 08, 2018 12:30pm
Brilliantly done! Restoring the heritage of Pakistan's history...brick by brick!
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Abuzar May 08, 2018 12:34pm
Best news of the Year
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Shah May 08, 2018 12:52pm
I think Mr Mohsin deserves a medal for his efforts
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Moazen Bilal May 08, 2018 12:55pm
Thanks Mr. Mohsin Ikram..!
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Imran May 08, 2018 01:14pm
Excellent effort, however those responsible for their earlier destruction should be taken to task.
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Gustaakh May 08, 2018 01:25pm
Amazing persistence and result !
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Shakir Baakza May 08, 2018 01:41pm
Frankly speaking, it's a favour to the Nation. Thankyou Sir. I hope more men like Mr Ikram & his team come forward and play their part.
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haider May 08, 2018 01:42pm
Great Job.Thanks to everyone who participated in it.Long live Pakistan
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Saeed Raamay May 08, 2018 01:58pm
Great effort. SALUTE sir!
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hamid shafiq May 08, 2018 02:06pm
good work and i love it
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A@man May 08, 2018 02:09pm
Can't wait to see this monumental peace restoration from the history.
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Khatri May 08, 2018 02:10pm
Great Job for the Nation....
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Abid May 08, 2018 02:24pm
If only for their values were restored too....
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Abdus Salam May 08, 2018 02:27pm
Well done Mr. Ikram. We're proud of you. Authorities must pay attention to deteriorating heritage across the country.
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M. Waseem May 08, 2018 02:28pm
Superb Job, When I saw pics years back in scrap condition I was really upset, I was thinking this is how we remember our leaders by throwing the stuff in open air.. Happy to see now...
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SadFaces May 08, 2018 02:53pm
He deserves a Sitara-e-Imtiaz.
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saad May 08, 2018 02:57pm
Awesome work, remarkable spirits! Thanks for such a great work Mr. Mohsin Ikram
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iffi May 08, 2018 03:02pm
great effort ... salutes
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SALMAN May 08, 2018 03:21pm
Great work. Hats off!
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FaiqMallick May 08, 2018 03:36pm
Thanks for stepping up and getting this done for the nation, appreciating!
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Abbas May 08, 2018 03:59pm
I salute you for doing this
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Junaid Ali May 08, 2018 04:29pm
Fatima Jinnah was a great and classy woman
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m@k May 08, 2018 04:34pm
Vehicles looking awesome again! Kudos to Mr. Ikram and team...
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Kemariwala May 08, 2018 04:38pm
Great. Such people are the true heroes. They are worth their weight in gold. I would love to see him start a car restoration show on television.
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asad May 08, 2018 04:47pm
What a tribute after demise of Mohatarma Fatima Jinnah who was denied to rule the country by establishment and here is her Car was made anew.
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Nazia Syed May 08, 2018 04:55pm
Well done Mohsin. This could be done only by you as you are a real lover of vintage cars.
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El Cid May 08, 2018 05:05pm
Wow! Commendable, very nicely done. Thank you.
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Dr.Khan May 08, 2018 05:10pm
Thank you so much sir... V happy to see the car in such an awesome condition..
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Pakistani May 08, 2018 06:12pm
Well done Mohsin Pakistan Zindabad
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Zeeshan Siddiqui May 08, 2018 06:36pm
May we see more pictures please?
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M. Saeed May 08, 2018 06:49pm
Highly appreciated the patriotic care and considerations of the whole team that restored the items of national heritage and gave them their due place.
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Ehsan May 08, 2018 06:50pm
Marvelous
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Faraz Rafi May 08, 2018 07:12pm
Great job, immense commitment is needed to accomplish a task like this. Such pieces of historical significance are considered valuable all over the world. Thanks for your efforts.
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Sarai alamgir May 08, 2018 07:34pm
Great work, we need to relish our past.
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Riaz May 08, 2018 07:42pm
What a brilliant and an outstanding effort! Well done.
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Baber Iqbal May 08, 2018 07:53pm
Great and wonderful contribution, which could be achieved only because of the persistant efforts.
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Rizwan Shaukat Khan May 08, 2018 07:56pm
Thank you for your selfless devotion and service to the nation!
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Zarna bRashid May 08, 2018 09:10pm
Mr Ikram, you are my hero.
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Dr. Behjat Syed May 08, 2018 10:46pm
I'm a Pakistani American and continuously perplexed at how well the US protects its 200-250 year old history but Pakistan gives no value to its amazing Gandhara/Indus history of thousands of years. I'm really glad some inspired individuals thought it important to preserve items associated with our Quaid. Only when a nation values what's given to it does it start to deserve its potential. Bravo!
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Zak May 09, 2018 02:17am
Thank Mr Ikram. You should be awarded the highest civilian award, not only for the restoration but for the spirit you have shown.
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M Wasim K May 09, 2018 03:35am
Great work - love and service to your country - tremendously patriotic - should be awarded with a national award for your work.
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Syed irfan ali May 09, 2018 10:33am
Hats off to Mohsin Ikram.
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Tasawwur Tahir May 09, 2018 11:00am
Awesome.... We are indeed indebted to you selfless efforts and dedication towards national heritage.
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Hamid Ali May 09, 2018 07:08pm
"many of the parts were stolen" you can depend on Pakistanis to steal given an opportunity.
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Anon21 May 09, 2018 08:59pm
Mr. Ikram, thank you very much for this service. The nation and the diaspora is in your debt! Thank you again, SIR! Your efforts are MUCH APPRECIATED! JazakAllah khair!
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Ahmar Qureshi May 11, 2018 11:17am
A sincere & pure effort by the team lead of this restoration project! I am certain that media will show the full documentary & if not then Mohsin sb ought to post the videos / pictures from bed to deck! :-)
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