- Bashir Ahmad (camel driver)
Bashir Ahmad was an impoverished Pakistani camel driver, who in 1961 met with the then US vice-president
Lyndon B Johnson and accepted an invitation to come to America [http://www.time.com/time/magazine/article/0,9171,873459,00.html?promoid=googlep Rubaiyat of Bashir Ahmad - TIME ] ] . The vice president soon turned the event into a public relations coup.The Invitation
Lyndon Johnson was in Pakistan on behalf of President Kennedy as part of a goodwill mission, it was here that he met Bashir Ahmad on a roadside. He used a phrase he had regularly said in his travels, "You all come to Washington and see us sometime" but was completely surprised when the illiterate camel driver accepted his offer [http://www.senate.gov/artandhistory/history/resources/pdf/lyndon_johnson.pdf] . With the press hot on his heels after the acceptance, the vice-president took advantage of the People to-People program to fund the Pakistani's travel expenses. [ [http://www.christers.net/veeps/lyndon-johnson.html Vice President Lyndon Johnson ] ]The State Visit
Bashir Ahmad was personally greeted by vice-president Johnson on his arrival in
New York City , Bashir was then invited to Johnson's private ranch inTexas . During his week stay, the Pakistani was also taken toKansas City , where he met ex-presidentHarry S Truman , who referred to him as 'your excellency', as well as toWashington D.C. , where he was taken to theLincoln Memorial , Senate Floor and President Kennedy's office.
Finally, at the end of his stay, as a gesture of further goodwill, vice-president Johnson made arrangements for Bashir to visit the Islamic holy city ofMecca on his return to Pakistan, this act of friendship bought tears to the eyes of the destitute camel driver.References
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