KARACHI, Nov 30: A special exhibition of about 80 Quranic manuscripts written during 4th and 13th Hijrah and some calligraphic paintings has begun at the National Museum of Pakistan.

These include the copy of the handwritten manuscript of Hazrat Usman, manuscript in first Kufi script, the written manuscripts of three famous calligraphists of the era of Abbasites - Yaqut Mustaasami, Yaqut Moosli and Nizamuddin Al- Hasni Al-Hussaini - and the calligraphist manuscript produced in “Khat-i-Bahar” of 851 Hijri which is considered a unique manuscript of the world from beauty, patterns and calligraphic points of view.

The Nastaliq script is in vogue in Iran, Central Asia and the subcontinent. There are not so many copies of the holy Quran written in this Nastaliq script, but the National Museum has a copy of the holy Quran in three volumes written in this style.

The other manuscripts put on display belong to Iran, Central Asia, Turkey, Kashmir and the subcontinent.

The works of calligraphic paintings include that of young artists, Shahzadzar, Tahir, Maimoona Hamdani, Maaroofa Khan, Anis Bhatti, Mashkoor Raza and Munir Saeed.—APP