Afghan exhibition concludes on positive note

The three-day Afghan Cultural and Industrial Exhibition concluded at the Nishtar Hall here on Wednesday with a positive note that more such events would be held in future to strengthen the cultural bonds between Pakistan and Afghanistan.

The exhibition, arranged by the culture wing of the Afghan Consulate General in Peshawar, was visited by a large number of people, including Khyber Pakhtunkhwa ministers Mian Iftikhar Hussain, Syed Aqil Shah and Sardar Hussain Babak, students from various public and private schools, colleges and universities, artisans and people from various walks of life.

About 20 stalls of handmade carpets, handicrafts, Afghan jewellery, paintings, garments and footwear were set up at the Nishtar Hall gallery. The portraits of Afghan heroes and former rulers including Ahmad Shah Abdali, Ghazi Amanullah Khan, Mahmud Ghaznavi, Mirwais Neeka and legends in literature, art and culture were also displayed.

Parveen Malal, cultural attaché at the Afghan Consulate General, told The News that such events would strengthen the bonds between the two brotherly countries and promote cultural activities.

Expressing satisfaction over the provincial government’s cooperation, she said the event provided an opportunity to Afghan traders to showcase their products and attract customers. She said it also provided an opportunity to the younger generation to know about their heroes, forefathers’ dresses, customs and traditions and the way of life.

“The television channels in Afghanistan will show the event. It will help promote our centuries-old culture and trade activities,” she said, adding that such exhibitions should be held in Kabul and Jalalabad and also in Islamabad.

The Afghan Students Union, Peshawar took an active part in the event. President Riaz, Vice-President Najeeb Nangyal and External Affairs In-Charge Waheedullah of the union were present to receive and guide the guests.

Haji Khan and Qari Zareef were among those manning their stalls of hand-woven carpets. They said they have been doing carpet business at Khyber Bazaar since 1980s, though they complained about decline in their trade due to various reasons. They said business was lucrative in the 1980s and even till the late 1990s but the wave of militancy affected it to a great extent.

“Eight out of the 15 carpet markets in Khyber Bazaar have been closed due to the decline in the business. The militancy and insecurity in the region affected our business while the electricity loadshedding and economic crisis aggravated the situation,” argued Qari Zareef.

He said about 70 percent carpets were imported from Afghanistan and 30 percent were made locally. He and the other carpet makers complained that traders from Punjab and other cities were also contributing to the decline of the carpet business in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa by running a propaganda campaign about the law and order situation and thus discouraging customers to come to the province.

They also complained that Afghan nationals having refugee cards were not allowed to open bank accounts and get driving licence in Pakistan. They asked the government to facilitate them by resolving these issues. They also demanded that the police should be directed not to harass the traders while shifting their carpets and other products legally and ease custom duty on the carpets imported from Afghanistan.