A sunny winter day. A small picturesque alley hugged by steep hills. Food stalls in one corner with the smoke from a bar b q rising into the air. An energetic crowd hailing from all age groups and all walks of life and some fifty 4×4 vehicles of all perceivable makes and shapes…. All in all a festive atmosphere. That was what the Islamabad Jeep Club’s 4×4 Extravaganza was like this last Sunday.
It was not just a simple 4×4 show though. As one entered the designated area through a large welcome gate, one would look around to see immaculate old and new 4×4s parked in precarious positions on steep slopes. One could not help but wonder how the vehicles were parked where they were. Probably a heavy crane?? A fork lift??
The media presence was remarkable as well with no less then five national TV channels covering the event with a significant contingent of well equipped crew. Some even had their Outdoor Broadcasting Vans set up especially for the occasion. Apart from this there were a host of professional and amateur photographers who took hundreds of pictures.
The Islamabad Jeep Club had invited Mr. Hanif (Hanif Bhai), owner of Pakwheels.com to be the Chief Guest at the occasion. Hanif Bhai had traveled specially from Karachi to grace the event. PakWheels is probably the largest website from Pakistan.
The event started one hour before noon. All the attendees were asked to move on top of a hill from where they could see the action clearly. About to witness what most of them would have never seen before, they were in for a surprise. Most stood there, convinced that the designated tracks could not be conquered. It was hard even to walk up some of the slopes.
Soon the only sound one could hear was the hum of Mujahid Zafars 1942 Willys coming up the slope. The crowd fell silent; some even missed a beat as the experienced driver drove up the obstacle like a child eats corn flakes. The media and photographers were visibly excited realizing the excellent opportunity they had for the shots. The Willys was followed by a newer Land Rover belonging to Rizwan Mushahidi who calmly climbed up the slope with one tire three feet up into the air at one time. The crowd was all pumped up by now. Salman, Jahangir, Shehzad, Ehsan and Ibad that followed in their respective vehicles, were greeted by chants and loud roars. In the next one and a half hour some fifteen experienced off-roaders had demonstrated the abilities of there vehicles on this tough track. Little did the participants knew, this one was the easier obstacles marked for the day.
The sun had now started its journey down. It was time for lunch. The event organizers had arranged spectacular feast. Tikkas and Kababs were being cooked fresh on a large bar b q tray in one corner and the aroma soon filled the atmosphere. The crowd had, by now, come down and started placing their orders at the stall. Cold drinks and water were available at another stall. The organizers’ hospitality was remarkable as each one would go around entertaining the masses with their witty sense of humor and stories of previous events. After the meal, most flocked to the tea stall and enjoyed the hot drink. The weather was not as warm as it was an hour ago.
During the whole day, children of all ages were seen running around playing. They would go to the stalls to buy sweets, fresh french fries and drinks. The organizers had made sure that this would be a family event. No one was allowed to drive around in the designated area.
The second track marked was the harder of the two. The track had multiple turns, ledges and potential obstacles where one could easily get stuck. This meant more skill, more excitement and more tires up in the air. All cameras were put in place and the first driver Mr. Aamir Malik who happens to be a senior member of the Club as well, drove up, avoiding the crevices and loose dirt where one could easily loose traction. Soon Aamir’s well maintained yellow Willys was on top of the hill amid loud applause and chants from the crowd which now also included people from nearby villages. Aamir was followed by Shabab in his 3 door Nissan Safari who made it up with no issues. Sheikh Sahab and the rest of the gang followed suit. It took another hour or so for every vehicle to move up the track. The media again got astonishing clips.
It was 4 pm now and it was getting colder. A small elevated place was used as a stage and the concluding ceremony began. All organizers were called up. Aamir made a moving speech and small kids were called up to do a raffle draw. Lucky winners got gift hampers. Later Hanif Bhai was called up and certificates and special prizes were distributed.
In today’s tense time, the Islamabad Jeep Club was able to offer an entertaining event for the people of the twin cities. In doing so they gave hope and some sense of normality to the masses. Lets hope that this example is followed and we see more such events that help bring smiles to faces. Our society needs some healthy activities to get their minds off the current crises and eyes off the television sets. Hats off to the organizers for an amazing event.