’I am proud t0 own the Rolls-Royce Jinnah rode’

Bipin Kumar Singh speaks exclusively to Karachi businessman Karim Chhapra, who owns the 1924 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Tourer used by Jinnah in 1947

'I am proud t0 own the Rolls-Royce Jinnah rode'

Bipin Kumar Singh speaks exclusively to Karachi businessman Karim Chhapra, who owns the 1924 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Tourer used by Jinnah in 1947

The car in question is a 1924 Rolls-Royce Silver Ghost Tourer that the Father of the Pakistani Nation Mohammed Ali Jinnah, and Lord Mountbatten, the last viceroy of British India, rode in on their way to sign the declaration of independence on August 14, 1947.

"People want to pose for pictures with the car when I occasionally bring it out on the roads.

I am extremely proud that I get to drive a car used by the Father of the Nation," said Chhapra, who refused to speak at length on his views on former BJP leader Jaswant Singh's controversial book Jinnah: India-Partition-Independence.
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"I am not interested in politics. All I can say is that political leaders from both countries routinely abuse leaders like Nehru, Gandhi and Jinnah for their selfish political motives. I have nothing to say beyond this," said Chhapra.

Historical significance

The car that Jinnah, who was to shortly become the first governor general of Pakistan, rode in had been custom made for his associate, the Nawab of Bhawalpur.

"After the death of Nawab, the car was locked in his palace for 46 years, while his heirs battled it out in court.
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After the court settled the matter, the car was auctioned, and I was lucky to buy it in March 2004.
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It took me a year-and-a-half to restore the car to its original glory. You can imagine what I must have spent on it.
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I would not like to disclose the amount because the car is part of history and that makes it priceless," Chhapra said.

Expensive hobby

Among other vintage cars such as the 1960 MGA Roadster and the 1966 Fiat T 1500, Chhapra also possesses a 1929 Hupmobile, used byu00a0 Kurban Ali, the first Inspector general of Pakistan.

Godse's Car

MiD DAY reported on Nathuram Godse's 1930 Studebaker, which he reportedly rode on the day of Mahatma Gandhi's murder.

To read the complete story on the car owned by Delhi businessman Parvez Jamal Siddiqui log on to https://www.mid-day.com/

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