Islamabad’s Lok Mela brings artisans from across Pakistan to showcase indigenous crafts

A vendor speaks to a customer at his blue pottery and tile stall at Lok Mela at the Lok Virsa Cultural Center and Heritage Museum in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 6, 2021. (AN Photo)
Short Url
Updated 07 November 2021
Follow

Islamabad’s Lok Mela brings artisans from across Pakistan to showcase indigenous crafts

  • Week-long fair includes pavilions representing each of Pakistan’s four provinces and other regions
  • Craftspeople, sculptors, artistes woo visitors with their unique work and performances

ISLAMABAD: As autumn brings crisp sunny days to Pakistan’s capital, artisans from all over the country gather in Islamabad to showcase their indigenous crafts at the Lok Mela, organized each year by the Lok Virsa Cultural Center and Heritage Museum. 
The fair, which has been held every year for the past four decades, brings together craftspeople, jewelry makers, painters, sculptors, wood workers, potters, dancers and musicians from al provinces and regions of Pakistan country. This year’s Lok Mela 2021 will run from November 1-7. 
Kalu Abro, 33, from rural Sindh who attends the fair every year, told Arab News the fair was a family affair for him and the culmination of a year of hard work. 
“For us it’s a family business, we have our stall here and at the bigger stalls, you will see our handmade carpets, which my brother oversees,” Abro said, as he sold eye-catching hand-beaded, embroidered bags of various sizes, from children’s backpacks to weekend travel bags. “We come every year with the support of the government, which encourages us to make our craft, and though this year is a little slow, it was still worth coming.” 
Abro said the Sindh government helped his family travel to Islamabad for the fair every year. 




Visitors stop by a fabric stall operated by artisans from Multan in Punjab province at Lok Mela at the Lok Virsa Cultural Center and Heritage Museum in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 6, 2021. (AN Photo)

Further down in the Punjab pavilion, Sadaf Nisar worked live on a piece of beaded Qur’anic verse wall hangings, an art form she says is unique to her hometown of Rawalpindi in Pakistan’s Punjab province. Nisar took up the craft after her father, who practiced it for 40 years. The father and daughter first attended the Lok Mela in 1991. 
“I keep coming because I am proud of this craft and it is not known enough,” Nisar said, “and it is a source of pride that I am following in my father’s footsteps and sharing our craft here.” 




Artisan Sadaf Nisar works on a unique beaded Quranic verse art piece, an art that originated in Rawalpindi in Punjab province, at Lok Mela at the Lok Virsa Cultural Center and Heritage Museum in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 6, 2021. (AN Photo)

From Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan, Dil Shawar has returned to the fair after a year’s gap due to the coronavirus pandemic, and was selling traditional beaded hats and textiles worn in her region. 
“This is a chance for us to make up for a year of loss thanks to corona, the mela has slowed down, but people didn’t know this was happening this year — that being said whoever came bought quite a lot, thankfully,” Shawar said as she laughed. 
She also described the fair as a networking opportunity. 
“You see people here you know; you can make business connections, it’s like a chain where we support one another and build business together,” Shawar said. “It’s always hard work to come out here but you have to be positive and be positive as a community, and a chain of business.” 




Dil Shawar from Hunza in Gilgit-Baltistan province stands in front of her stall where she sells handmade hats and embroidered items at Lok Mela at the Lok Virsa Cultural Center and Heritage Museum in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 6, 2021. (AN Photo)

For 21-year-old Jehanarra Aziz, who hails from Pakistan’s cultural heart of Lahore, the fair is an event she looks forward to attending each year. 
“I do not get to come every year since I live in Lahore, but anytime I get to be here around the same time, usually in winter, fall time, I make sure to stop by,” said Aziz, who was at the fair with her family members. “You get to learn so much while of course shopping a lot.” 




A shop features decor items, made up of sea shells, at Lok Mela at the Lok Virsa Cultural Center and Heritage Museum in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 6, 2021. (AN Photo) 

For Sara Amjad, 30, who resides in Islamabad, the fair is a rare opportunity to see performances, in addition to the art and craft. 
“There are no other events like this one that I personally know of where you get the chance to hear folk music and see traditional folk dances,” Amjad said. “I buy a lot, I eat a lot, and I enjoy getting the chance to see people perform their cultural dances here.” 




Individuals from Pakistan's Balochistan province perform the traditional two-clap dance Dochaapi at Lok Mela at the Lok Virsa Cultural Center and Heritage Museum in Islamabad, Pakistan, on November 6, 2021. (AN Photo)

 


Pakistani official says 1.3 million Afghans repatriated since November 2023

Updated 5 sec ago
Follow

Pakistani official says 1.3 million Afghans repatriated since November 2023

  • Pakistan launched deportation drive in November 2023 against foreigners residing illegally in country amid militancy surge
  • Pakistan has hosted over 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland

ISLAMABAD: Pakistani authorities have repatriated approximately 1.3 million Afghan refugees in a deportation drive launched since November 2023, Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik said on Wednesday, the state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported.

Pakistan launched a repatriation drive of foreign citizens that began in November 2023, with thousands of Afghan nationals expelled since. The government initially said it was first focusing on expelling foreigners with no legal documentation and other categories, such as Afghan Citizen Card (ACC) — a document launched in 2017 to grant temporary legal status to Afghan refugees — would be included later.

Earlier this year, the country’s interior ministry asked all “illegal foreigners” and ACC holders to leave the country before Mar. 31, warning that they would otherwise be deported from April 1. Authorities subsequently started deporting thousands of Afghan nationals from all parts of the country.

“Parliamentary Secretary Mukhtar Ahmad Malik informed the National Assembly on Wednesday that approximately 1.3 million Afghan refugees have been repatriated from Pakistan so far,” APP reported.

Responding to a question raised by lawmaker Anjum Aqeel Khan during a parliamentary session, Malik said around 3 million Afghan refugees were residing in Pakistan.

“Of these, 813,000 hold Afghan Citizen Cards (ECC) while 1.3 million possess Proof of Registration (PoR) cards,” he was quoted as saying.

He emphasized that Afghan nationals who wish to enter Pakistan for medical treatment, education, or business purposes are welcome to do so provided they obtain a Pakistani visa and carry valid documentation with them.

In total, Pakistan has hosted over 2.8 million Afghan refugees who crossed the border during 40 years of conflict in their homeland.

The deportation drive was launched in November 2023 after Islamabad witnessed a surge in suicide attacks and militancy that it blamed on Afghan nationals, without providing evidence.

Local and international rights organizations have accused Pakistani authorities of harassing Afghan nationals while forcefully repatriating them. The same has been accused by the Afghan Taliban, who have called on Islamabad to allow its nationals to return to their homeland with dignity.

Islamabad denies the harassment allegations and says it is ensuring Afghan nationals are deported with dignity.


China jet maker’s market capitalization soars by over $7.6 billion after India-Pakistan conflict

Updated 15 min 43 sec ago
Follow

China jet maker’s market capitalization soars by over $7.6 billion after India-Pakistan conflict

  • Pakistan Air Force has hailed use of Chinese J-10Cs to shoot down five Indian fighter jets, including three French Rafales
  • Episode has prompted reassessment of Chinese weapons, challenging long-held perceptions of their inferiority to Western arms

ISLAMABAD: The market capitalization of China’s premier jet manufacturer, Chengdu Aircraft Corporation, surged by more than $7.6 billion (Rs2.1 trillion) following the recent India-Pakistan conflict last week, Bloomberg reported on Wednesday, as global attention zeroed in on the combat performance of Chinese J-10C fighter jets.

The report comes after the Pakistan Air Force (PAF) hailed the use of the J-10Cs to shoot down five Indian fighter jets, including three French Rafales, during a recent flare-up in hostilities that saw the nuclear-armed neighbors pound each other with missiles, drones and artillery for four days until the United States brokered a ceasefire.

The episode has prompted a reassessment of Chinese weapons, challenging long-held perceptions of their inferiority to Western arms.

“The jet’s maker saw its market capitalization soar by over 55 billion yuan ($7.6 billion), or more than a fourth, by the end of last week,” Bloomberg reported.

China is the world’s fourth-largest arms exporter, but its customers are mostly developing nations like Pakistan that have limited funds. The latest developments could bolster Beijing’s sales pitch as major economies from Europe to Asia heed President Donald Trump’s call to ramp up defense spending, Blomberg said.

“There is a good chance the weapons systems China is able to offer will be even more appealing to potential buyers” especially in the Global South, said James Char, assistant professor of the China Program at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, noting the J-10C was not even China’s most advanced jet.

The J-10Cs have had few battle tests and are used to patrol the Taiwan Strait and their latest reported success by Pakistan has provided some initial insight into how they might fare against US fighters such as the F-16, Bloomberg said.

Another Chinese weapon in focus after the India-Pakistan standoff is the PL-15 missile.

Parts of the air-to-air missiles were found in India after the reported shoot-downs, suggesting the weapons, deployed on Pakistan’s J-10C aircraft, proved effective in their first known combat use. With a top speed above Mach 5, the PL-15 is a rival to Western air-to-air missiles.


Pakistan says 13 armed forces personnel killed in latest India conflict

Updated 14 May 2025
Follow

Pakistan says 13 armed forces personnel killed in latest India conflict

  • An army personnel and air force senior technician succumbed to their injuries, says Pakistani military
  • India and Pakistan engaged in four days of armed conflict last week, worst between them since 1999

KARACHI: Pakistani military media’s wing said on Wednesday 13 members of the armed forces had been killed in the latest military confrontation with India, paying tribute to their courage and “unshakeable patriotism.”

The Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR), the military’s media wing, said on Tuesday that 11 armed forces personnel had been killed in Pakistan’s latest standoff with India while 78 had been injured. Forty civilians had also been killed and 121 were injured.

India and Pakistan engaged in four days of armed conflict last week, the worst between them since 1999, pounding each other with fighter aircraft, missiles, drones and artillery fire. The conflict erupted when India fired missiles into Pakistan last Wednesday night after weeks of tensions over an attack in Indian-administered Kashmir on April 22. New Delhi blamed the attack on Pakistan, while Islamabad denied involvement.

“While defending the motherland with exemplary courage and unwavering resolve, 2 more valiant sons of the soil embraced shahadat today who were hospitalized, bringing the total number of martyred personnel of the Pakistan Armed Forces to 13 while 78 have sustained injuries in the line of duty,” the ISPR said, referring to India’s attacks on the night of May 6.

The army’s Havaldar Muhammad Naveed Shaheed and Senior Technician Muhammad Ayaz of the Pakistan Air Force were the latest armed forces personnel who succumbed to their injuries, the ISPR said.

“Their noble sacrifice stands as a timeless testament to their courage, devotion to duty, and unshakeable patriotism,” it added.

After India struck multiple Pakistani cities last Wednesday with missiles, claiming it had targeted “terrorist” camps in response to the April 22 attack, Islamabad vowed to retaliate saying it had shot down five Indian fighter jets.

Things came to a head on Saturday morning when Pakistan said India had attacked three bases, and it struck back with attacks on multiple bases in India, including a missile storage site in India’s north.

Hours later, US President Donald Trump announced he had brokered a ceasefire between the two states, calming fears of an all-out war.

Both countries claimed victory as the fragile ceasefire came into force, with Pakistan saying it targeted several Indian military sites on Saturday and destroyed an S-400 missile defense system as part of its retaliatory ‘Operation Bunyan-un-Marsoos’ operation, which translates to “Wall of Lead” in Arabic, in response to India attacking three air bases.

India has also released new satellite images showing serious damage to air strips and radar stations at what Indian defense officials say are multiple Pakistani military bases crippled by massive Indian airstrikes.

Bitter rivals India and Pakistan have fought two of their three wars over Kashmir, a region split between them, since gaining independence from British colonial rule in 1947. Both nations are nuclear-armed, raising global alarm every time an armed conflict breaks out between them.


‘She can’t do it’: How a Pakistani teenage boxer fought her biggest battle before the first punch

Updated 34 min 48 sec ago
Follow

‘She can’t do it’: How a Pakistani teenage boxer fought her biggest battle before the first punch

  • Aliya Soomro, 19, knocked out Thailand’s Suthida Ganyanooch in a boxing contest in Bangkok on May 3
  • The eldest daughter of a laborer, Soomro says people often told her parents not to let her pursue boxing

KARACHI: In a powerful display of grit and determination, 19-year-old Aliya Soomro punched her way to international recognition, knocking out Thailand’s Suthida Ganyanooch in the first round of “The Fighter: World Boxing” match in Bangkok on May 3.

Yet, for the teenage fighter from Karachi’s gritty Lyari neighborhood, the real battle was fought long before she entered the ring, as she braved relentless criticism and deeply ingrained gender norms back home.

In a country where many women still struggle to pursue their ambitions, especially in fields traditionally considered the preserve of men, Soomro said her victory was about more than just boxing as it challenged the limits others had set for women like her.

“They ended up motivating me,” she told Arab News at her modest residence, referring to all those who questioned her passion. “People thought they were demotivating me, but what they didn’t realize was that their negativity was actually turning into my motivation.”

Boxer Aliya Soomro celebrates after beating Thailand's Suthida Ganyanooch in “The Fighter: World Boxing” match in Bangkok, Thailand, in a picture uploaded on May 3, 2025. (Aliya Soomro Boxer/X)

“People gossiped about me, saying things like, ‘Make her quit, she can’t do it, this is beyond her,’” she said, recounting how many of them whispered such comments in her parents’ ears.

Born and raised in Lyari, an area long associated with poverty and gang violence, Soomro grew up hearing doubts about girls’ capabilities and endured years of neglect.

“You know, people still follow old-fashioned thinking that girls can’t do anything, that it’s not in their capacity and that they should just stay at home and tend to the stove,” she said.

But she was not just disappointed in people but also the sports authorities since even after being repeatedly shortlisted for Pakistan’s national boxing team, she was dropped without explanation.

“I was told, ‘Be ready, you’ll get your ticket in the morning.’ But when I got ready and sat waiting in the morning, I found out someone else had taken my place.”

Soomro’s father, Muhammad Hanif Soomro, a laborer and former footballer, said he made it his life’s mission to help his daughter, eldest of his four children, succeed.

In a picture shared by boxer Aliya Soomro, a referee holds her hand in the air, declaring her victory in the first round of “The Fighter: World Boxing” match in Bangkok on May 3. (Aliya Soomro Boxer/X)

“I am very happy as what has happened with me is not happened with my daughter,” he said, recalling how his poverty and lack of support deprived him of making his dream of playing football for his country come true.

He said he just unheard criticism of his daughter.

“If we had listened to the criticism, this would not have been possible,” he maintained. “The answer to criticism is hard work, dedication and she proved it. That’s her response.”

Without sponsors or institutional backing, Soomro said she walked from company to company during Ramadan, seeking help.

“Even during Ramadan, while fasting, I would go around to companies asking for sponsorship,” she said. “No one supported me.”

Eventually, help came from unexpected place, with Muhammad Hussain Bhatti, a leader from the fishermen’s community, getting her visa and tickets.

“After that, he took full responsibility for my sponsorship,” she added.

The victory in Bangkok has changed how Soomro is seen. Upon her return, she was applauded by Sindh Chief Minister Murad Ali Shah who awarded her a shield and Rs1 million ($3,553) cash prize.

“Now, after returning with a victory, the situation has changed,” she said. “The chief minister is giving me great support.”

She’s also been offered a sports scholarship and professional coaching support ahead of her upcoming fight against an Indian opponent in Dubai.

But for Soomro, the transformation is deeply personal.

Boxer Aliya Soomro in a boxing match with Thailand's Suthida Ganyanooch during “The Fighter: World Boxing” match in Bangkok, Thailand, in a picture uploaded on May 3, 2025. (Aliya Soomro Boxer/X)

“The same ground where people once gossiped about me, I was later invited there as a chief guest, and they said, ‘She is our daughter.’ That was a moment of pride for me,” she said.

Soomro hopes her success will inspire other girls in Lyari and across Pakistan to pursue their dreams, regardless of societal pressures.

“I would just say this,” she said. “Don’t confine girls within four walls. Let them live freely. Just as you consider boys to be strong, know that women’s strength is even more important in your life... Women are powerful.”

She informed that boxing ran in her blood, with her maternal grand grandfather being a boxer.

“There was this one story. A cow had broken free. My great grandfather stood in a specific stance and threw a counter right, and it hit so hard that one of the cow’s horns broke off,” she said, smiling.

Despite being a third-year BBA student at a local university, Soomro balances her studies, training and coaching.

“Boxing isn’t just a sport for me,” she said. “Boxing is my life.”

Recalling her fight in Bangkok, Soomro said when she stepped into the ring, she just wanted to win. She knocked her opponent out in just 45 seconds.

When her Thai rival stood up, she hugged Soomro, saying: “Your punch is very hard.”


Islamic Development Bank supports Pakistani project to reactivate out-of-work women doctors 

Updated 14 May 2025
Follow

Islamic Development Bank supports Pakistani project to reactivate out-of-work women doctors 

  • Originally launched in 2018, eDoctor program was born out of national need to bring licensed but inactive doctors back to work
  • As many as 35 percent of female medical doctors are unemployed in Pakistan, according to 2023 Gallup Pakistan survey

KARACHI: Pakistan’s Dow University of Health Sciences (DUHS) and health and education tech platform EDUCAST on Wednesday launched a telemedicine initiative aimed at reviving the careers of out-of-practice Pakistani women doctors in a project funded by the Islamic Development Bank.

Originally launched in 2018, the eDoctor program was born out of a national need to reclaim licensed but inactive female doctors who had exited the medical field due to social, familial, or logistical barriers, resulting in estimated Rs. 35 billion losses to the public exchequer. As many as 35 percent of female medical doctors are unemployed in Pakistan, according to a Gallup Pakistan survey in 2023.

The first phase of the project successfully trained and reactivated over 1,500 female doctors across 27 countries through a self-paced, digitally-enabled certification program in partnership with Germany’s Lecturio and Standford University’s Digital Medic platform.

The second phase of the project, Doctor 2.0, launched this week will offer advanced online certification in clinical practice and telemedicine, hands-on clinical observation opportunities at partner clinics, access to Al-powered virtual clinics via smartphones and integration into national initiatives such as ElderCare, polio eradication, MCH support, and rural telehealth.

“This is more than a training program, this is a movement to empower Pakistani women doctors through technology, purpose and dignity,” said Prof. Dr. Jehan Ara Hassan, Acting Vice Chancellor of DUHS. “With Doctor 2.0, we’re giving them a toolkit to reclaim their profession and serve their people.”

She added that Doctor 2.0 was positioned to become a “global model” for female-led, Al-powered, digital health, with plans to export the model to conflict-affected and underserved countries through partnerships with humanitarian agencies.

“This program embodies what modern, resilient, and inclusive health care should look like,” EDUCAST CEO Abdullah Butt said. “We’re proud to be the digital backbone of this transformative initiative.”

Past work of the eDoctor project include managing over 500,000 patients through EDUCAST’s COVID home care program in Sindh during the coronavirus pandemic.

In Afghanistan, the program provided teleconsultation services across 20 Afghan provinces, enabling cancer care, maternal health, and urgent second opinions, while in Yemen, through partnerships with NGOs like INSAN, it offered digital support in areas with no access to on-ground health services.

The program was also used to mobilize tele-triage and digital support during emergencies such as floods in Pakistan and is the backbone of Pakistan’s first elderly home health care platform, BRIDGE, supporting hundreds of senior citizens remotely.