Skip to content 
Search

Latest Stories

Pakistani man, 49, proudly owns 5,000 toy cars

Pakistani man, 49, proudly owns 5,000 toy cars

A PAKISTANI father of three has described the joy that his collection of 5,000 model cars brings him.

Aamir Ashfaq, 49, from Lahore, got his first toy car aged eight. Today his hobby is housed in his study, and it includes model cars, from Bugatti to Suzuki.


“When I hold a car in the palm of my hand, I remember things I had forgotten about, and this gives me immense joy. I can’t explain it in words,” he told Pakistan Weekly.

“Memories may fade with time, but these cars take me back to moments in the past.”

The father of three said his love for the toy cars has not diminished with age. He does not feel odd indulging this pastime, although he admitted it looked “childish”.

His prized collection in his 12x14 square foot room includes scaled models of most of the beautiful “rolling masterpieces” on the planet.

Among his toy cars are those of Mercedes Benz, BMW, Audi, Porsche, Volkswagen, Lamborghini, Ferrari, Alfa Romeo, Maserati, Bugatti, Bentley and Rolls Royce.

American vehicles have a special appeal for him and models of Chevrolet, Buick, Oldsmobile, Cadillac, Pontiac, Chrysler, Plymouth, Dodge, Jeep are prominently displayed in the room.

“My pursuit may not have gone far enough to earn a world record, but such a collection is still unique in Pakistan”, he said.

Ashfaq is grateful to his parents for indulging him when he asked for a toy car as a young boy.

“I remembered my childhood days. Whenever I went to a mart, first I would pick up a toy car and look towards my parents who never disappointed me”.

Most of the toys, which he described as a “treasure”, are gifted to him. His aunts and cousins settled in England, Canada and the US also presented him with some of the premium scaled models which are not available in Pakistan.

“This kind of treasure takes decades to build, hours and hours of care, but if you have the passion then all that hard work brings pleasure and always keeps a smile of satisfaction on your face” Ashfaq said.

His three daughters also share his love of toy cars. They preferred toy cars to dolls and kitchen sets while they were growing up, he said.

More For You

Rajnath Singh

The council that approved the initiation of procurement for arms and equipment is headed by Defence Minister Rajnath Singh. (Photo: Reuters)

Reuters

India starts process to procure arms worth $12.31 billion

INDIA’s Defence Acquisition Council (DAC) has approved the initiation of procurement for arms and equipment worth $12.31 billion (£9.05 billion), the defence ministry said on Thursday.

The council is headed by India's Defence Minister Rajnath Singh.

Keep ReadingShow less
uk weather

Forecasts indicate that the weekend will be unsettled

Getty Images

Cooler conditions bring relief as UK heatwave ends

Key points

  • UK's second heatwave of 2025 ends with cooler temperatures setting in.
  • Tuesday recorded the year’s highest temperature at 34.7°C in London.
  • No return to heatwave conditions forecast for early July.
  • Showers expected in parts of Scotland and Northern Ireland, with drier weather ahead.

UK heatwave fades as cooler weather returns

Following a stretch of record-breaking heat, the UK has now entered a cooler phase, with no heatwave conditions forecast for the first half of July. This change comes after Tuesday became the hottest day of the year so far, with 34.7°C recorded in London’s St James’s Park.

However, the high temperatures that marked the start of July have now given way to more comfortable conditions. In many parts of the country, temperatures have dropped by more than 10°C, bringing relief from the extreme heat.

Keep ReadingShow less
Families slam Hancock's 'insulting' care home defence at Covid inquiry

Matt Hancock arrives ahead of his latest appearance before the Covid-19 Inquiry on July 02, 2025 in London, England.(Photo by Leon Neal/Getty Images)

Families slam Hancock's 'insulting' care home defence at Covid inquiry

BEREAVED families have condemned former health secretary Matt Hancock as "insulting" and "full of excuses" after he defended the controversial policy of moving untested hospital patients into care homes during the early days of the Covid pandemic.

Speaking at the Covid-19 inquiry on Wednesday (2), Hancock described the decision to discharge patients into care homes as "the least-worst decision" available at the time, despite the devastating death toll that followed.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Getty

Starmer has said the NHS must 'reform or die' and promised changes that would control the rising costs of caring for an ageing population without increasing taxes. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Starmer outlines 10-year NHS reform strategy

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer will on Thursday launch a 10-year strategy aimed at fixing the National Health Service (NHS), which he said was in crisis. The plan seeks to ease the pressure on overstretched hospitals and shift care closer to people’s homes.

The NHS, which is publicly funded and state-run, has faced difficulties recovering from the Covid-19 pandemic. It continues to experience annual winter pressures, repeated waves of industrial action, and a long backlog for elective treatments.

Keep ReadingShow less
Starmer-Reeves-Getty

Starmer and Reeves during a visit to Horiba Mira in Nuneaton, to mark the launch of the Government's Industrial Strategy on June 23, 2025 in Nuneaton. (Photo: Getty Images)

Getty Images

Reeves ‘going nowhere’, says Starmer after tears in parliament

PRIME MINISTER Keir Starmer on Wednesday said that Chancellor Rachel Reeves would remain in her role for “a very long time to come”, after she appeared visibly upset in parliament as questions were raised about her future.

Reeves was seen with tears rolling down her face during Prime Minister’s Questions, after Starmer did not confirm whether she would remain chancellor until the next general election, expected in 2029.

Keep ReadingShow less