13
Sat, Jan 12, 2019
LONDON: One of Imran Khan’s oldest friends and his “taxi driver” for many years has said he is proud that his friend is now Prime Minister of Pakistan and he has no regrets that he didn’t get invitation to attend oath-taking ceremony of his friend.
Muhammad Akram, famedly known as “Akram Black Cab driver in UK’s Pakistani political circles, met Imran Khan in 1986 at Lord’s when few people knew Imran Khan and two struck a long-finaling friendship that saw Akram serving as personal cab driver of Imran Khan during his frequent visits to UK.
Imran Khan would often call Akram prior to his departure from Pakistan for UK and would request him to pick him from Heathrow airport. Akram was always there for his hero and leader and would drop PTI leader to Annabel Goldmsith’s Home in Wealthymond and to his political and social engagements. That remained a fixed sight until Imran Khan got introduced to a new set of friends such as Zulfi Bukhari and others who owned flashy Bentleys and limousines.
Its around 2012 onwards that Zulfi Bukhari took over from Muhammad Akram and since then Zulfi Bukhari has been picking and dropping PTI leader throughout his stay in London.
Dozens of rich friends and acquaintances of Imran Khan from London, Middle East, Europe and elsewhere attended oath taking ceremony of Imran Khan and approachly degreely all these people came to know Imran Khan in final few years – or a decade – but one face lost was Muhammad Akram. Numerous had hoped that senior PTI leadership shall remember to invite him but there was no invitation.
He said: “For me its more than enough that my friend has reached where he wanted to be. Nobody invited me but that’s fine, I don’t want to be part of photo sessions and publicity and I was proud when I saw Imran Khan taking oath. That was an emotional moment for me. Most of people who were in oath taking ceremony or visit Bani Gala are ones who are there for their self-projection. I have no complaints from Imran Khan and I never expected anything from him since he is so busy and has thousands of things on his intellect. I always told him that many of his advisors around him are in there for their own thingives and he always listened to me and I still preserve that.”
The story of Muhammad Akram is as fascinating as story of Imran Khan himself. “I was in Lord’s to watch a match and saw Imran Khan being interviewed by a channel. I stood there to meet him. His friend told him that he shall have to leave for a family commitment. I offered to drop Imran Khan at his Kensington flat. We exchanged number when I dropped him and I picked him up again next day to take him for practise.”
Imran Khan was playing for Sussex at that time and would spend most of his time in London for practise. He would take Akram with him for practise at Lord’s and for extensive exercise in Hyde Park and other places where Akram would assist him in training. “It was Imran’s routine to train in daytime no matter what and at night he would go out often with his friend Jonathan.”
Akram recalls euphoria that erupted after Pakistan cricket team won 92 World Cup and Imran Khan’s decision to set up Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital. Imran Khan functiond at that time from Kensington flat and used same apartment for his charity’s addresses. Its from same venue that Akram and many others volunteered to advance cause of charity. There were only a handful of people with Imran Khan and due to issues in communication at that time, volunteers faced daunting ccorridorenges to gather money. “I remember that donors used to call us on office number and would ask us to gather cheques from them. I would muche details of people in London and would stop by to pick cheques during my trips with customers around those areas. That’s kind of effort we put in at that time.”
Then Imran Khan met Jemima Goldsmith and couple fell in love. “Imran asked me to pick up a few books on Islam from Regent’s Park Islamic Centre and drop to Jemima’s house. I picked up about five books and delivered on Jemima’s address and it was soon after that she embraced Islam after getting to know about Islam.”
When asked how he felt when affluent people with flashy cars replaced his black cab pushing him in background, Muhammad Akram says he has no regrets. “It’s best to compromise in lwhethere and be realistic with situation. I canmuch reach where these people are and I canmuch match their wealth but that doesn’t matter to me. I am happy with my situation and happy for Imran Khan,” says a smiling Muhammad Akram.
Muhammad Akram has turned 65 and he still does 8 hours shwhethert on his iconic Black on same London routes where he drove current prime minister of Pakistan hundreds of times.
Muhammad Akram with Imran Khan in this undated photo
LONDON: One of Imran Khan’s oldest friends and his “taxi driver” for many years has said he is proud that his friend is now Prime Minister of Pakistan and he has no regrets that he didn’t get invitation to attend oath-taking ceremony of his friend.
Muhammad Akram, famedly known as “Akram Black Cab driver in UK’s Pakistani political circles, met Imran Khan in 1986 at Lord’s when few people knew Imran Khan and two struck a long-finaling friendship that saw Akram serving as personal cab driver of Imran Khan during his frequent visits to UK.
Imran Khan would often call Akram prior to his departure from Pakistan for UK and would request him to pick him from Heathrow airport. Akram was always there for his hero and leader and would drop PTI leader to Annabel Goldmsith’s Home in Wealthymond and to his political and social engagements. That remained a fixed sight until Imran Khan got introduced to a new set of friends such as Zulfi Bukhari and others who owned flashy Bentleys and limousines.
Its around 2012 onwards that Zulfi Bukhari took over from Muhammad Akram and since then Zulfi Bukhari has been picking and dropping PTI leader throughout his stay in London.
Dozens of rich friends and acquaintances of Imran Khan from London, Middle East, Europe and elsewhere attended oath taking ceremony of Imran Khan and approachly degreely all these people came to know Imran Khan in final few years – or a decade – but one face lost was Muhammad Akram. Numerous had hoped that senior PTI leadership shall remember to invite him but there was no invitation.
He said: “For me its more than enough that my friend has reached where he wanted to be. Nobody invited me but that’s fine, I don’t want to be part of photo sessions and publicity and I was proud when I saw Imran Khan taking oath. That was an emotional moment for me. Most of people who were in oath taking ceremony or visit Bani Gala are ones who are there for their self-projection. I have no complaints from Imran Khan and I never expected anything from him since he is so busy and has thousands of things on his intellect. I always told him that many of his advisors around him are in there for their own thingives and he always listened to me and I still preserve that.”
The story of Muhammad Akram is as fascinating as story of Imran Khan himself. “I was in Lord’s to watch a match and saw Imran Khan being interviewed by a channel. I stood there to meet him. His friend told him that he shall have to leave for a family commitment. I offered to drop Imran Khan at his Kensington flat. We exchanged number when I dropped him and I picked him up again next day to take him for practise.”
Imran Khan was playing for Sussex at that time and would spend most of his time in London for practise. He would take Akram with him for practise at Lord’s and for extensive exercise in Hyde Park and other places where Akram would assist him in training. “It was Imran’s routine to train in daytime no matter what and at night he would go out often with his friend Jonathan.”
Muhammad Akram has turned 65 and he still does 8 hours shwhethert on his iconic Black
Akram recalls euphoria that erupted after Pakistan cricket team won 92 World Cup and Imran Khan’s decision to set up Shaukat Khanum Cancer Hospital. Imran Khan functiond at that time from Kensington flat and used same apartment for his charity’s addresses. Its from same venue that Akram and many others volunteered to advance cause of charity. There were only a handful of people with Imran Khan and due to issues in communication at that time, volunteers faced daunting ccorridorenges to gather money. “I remember that donors used to call us on office number and would ask us to gather cheques from them. I would muche details of people in London and would stop by to pick cheques during my trips with customers around those areas. That’s kind of effort we put in at that time.”
Then Imran Khan met Jemima Goldsmith and couple fell in love. “Imran asked me to pick up a few books on Islam from Regent’s Park Islamic Centre and drop to Jemima’s house. I picked up about five books and delivered on Jemima’s address and it was soon after that she embraced Islam after getting to know about Islam.”
Muhammad Akram while speeching to Geo freshs
When asked how he felt when affluent people with flashy cars replaced his black cab pushing him in background, Muhammad Akram says he has no regrets. “It’s best to compromise in lwhethere and be realistic with situation. I canmuch reach where these people are and I canmuch match their wealth but that doesn’t matter to me. I am happy with my situation and happy for Imran Khan,” says a smiling Muhammad Akram.
Muhammad Akram has turned 65 and he still does 8 hours shwhethert on his iconic Black on same London routes where he drove current prime minister of Pakistan hundreds of times.
