In Pakistan, rickshaws are being used to spread a message of peace.
The colourfully decorated rickshaws are often covered with political campaign stickers or paintings.
70-year-old rickshaw driver Muhammad Sarfaraz is ready to hit the road.
“This Peace Rickshaw gives a message of peace. People should live together with harmony. One day a friend of mine introduced me to an NGO, who wanted to paint my rickshaw. I happily asked the designers to write all the stuff they want to. It's very nice,” he says happily.
“Everyone who reads these slogans also likes it. Many people now call me 'Uncle Peace' too because of my vehicle."
The peace rickshaw has interesting and funny graffiti written on it.
This heart flies with a universal message of ‘love, tolerance and peace’.
The other reads ‘I’m driving the rickshaw, not firing the bullet’.
And this one says ‘Let’s talk about peace in Karachi’.
There are millions of rickshaws across Pakistan and they are often used to promote a political or religious position.
Last year, a group of more than 300 youths – Pakistan Youth Alliance – decided to use it for a different purpose.
“There is very famous Damaat-ud-Dawa, it’s a religious outfit. They’re using it as a hate speech against the India, America and Israel. It's happening in Lahore city,” says Marium Kanwar, the co-founder.
“And then we have seen the rickshaw art has been used for various purposes like the politicians also use it for their political campaigns. So we decided to use it for peace and tolerance speech to spread a positive, and leave an impact because rickshaw is very convenient way."
Initially, some 50 peace rickshaws were used as part of the campaign by the Pakistani youth group. Now another 100 are getting redesigned.
“So far, the experience has been very, very good. From media to ordinary people, rickshaw drivers, artists, the community, passengers... everybody appreciates this,” Marium adds.
And drivers like Kadar Dan say it’s good for business.
“My rickshaw has the phrase ‘the life lost was our own, the bloodshed was our own’. A passenger says this is a thought-provoking statement. It has also increased my income. Now I earn 5 to 6 dollars a day.”
Pakistan has seen growing terrorism and extremism over the past decade with thousands have been killed and many more injured.
Many Pakistanis, like Manzoor Ahmed Arain, a commuter, feel the need to spread tolerance.
“There must be peace in the country. The government as well as the citizens need to realize this. My son got a job in Karachi, but I told him to better die from hunger instead of coming here to die in violence and lawlessness."
And rickshaw driver Muhammad Sarfaraz will continue pedalling towards a more peaceful future...
