Pakistani truck art features Turkish president

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Web Desk
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Truck featuring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo: Anadolu Agency

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has become the latest foreign leader to be honoured with a massive portrait on a truck in Pakistan.

Despite the fact that Gulzar Ahmad has never been to Turkey or met a Turkish citizen in his life, he told Anadolu Agency he got Erdogan’s portrait painted on his truck because he believed the Turkish president was an “ideal leader”.

“I love the Turkish president who represents Muslims of the world and he is my ideal leader,” Ahmad who is 38-year-old resident of Dera Ghazi Khan added. His family runs a small transportation business comprising three trucks.

Truck art is a popular form of regional decoration with Pakistani trucks featuring elaborate floral patterns, calligraphy and images of actors, leaders, cricketers or actors.

“We know that Turkey is the only country that always stands by Pakistan, in every good or bad times and that’s the reason we love Turkey and its president,” Ahmad added.

This January, Ahmad acquired and adorned his third truck featuring Erdogan’s portrait.

He said the artwork and paint on his truck cost hi, Rs50,000.

Truck featuring Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Photo: Anadolu Agency

“It’s very easy, you give him [the artist] a picture and they will make the portrait on the truck,” Ahmad added explaining how truck art is done.

About choosing a Turkish leader over others, Ahmad said: “I would say Pakistanis love Turkey more than any other country in the whole world.

"More than China, even more than Saudi Arabia, both of which are considered as the closest allies of our nation.”

Last year, a portrait of Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau at the back of a truck in Pakistan caused a storm. According to a report, Trudeau appeared to be the first leader of a Western country to be painted on trucks in Pakistan. Prior to him, some non-Pakistanis who were featured in truck art included the late Princess Diana, South American revolutionary Che Guevara, and martial arts expert and movie star Bruce Lee.