Visitors wait with their dogs during the LandesGruppen Show at the exhibition on Saturday. The other picture shows youngsters painting at the children’s stall. — White Star
ISLAMABAD: The two-day Dawn All About Lifestyles exhibition started at the Pak China Friendship Centre, featuring stalls for both awareness raising and to exhibit products, delicious pre-dominantly desi food and children’s activities
The Tourism Corporation of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had taken a separate pavilion at the entrance of the venue, displaying a wide variety of ethnic crafts and products, serving tea in traditional metal jugs amongst other attractions.
Mohammad Kashif, a veteran of stalls at Lifestyles and other exhibitions, said: “We make these chappals by hand in Charsadda and then we supply them across Pakistan from Mianwali to Quetta. This time there have been a lot of people coming to the stall and a lot have bought my leather chappals.”
Tanzeela Yasmin from D.I. Khan had brought hand embroidered clothes and was not thrilled with her sales.
She said: “People are coming. They ask about different things, different designs but when they hear the price they hesitate to buy anything. My products are priced very reasonably for hand embroidery but I think things are generally very expensive so people hesitate. I have been coming to exhibitions in Islamabad and other cities for 25 years.”
With the KP Pavilion displaying a variety of handicrafts from the Kalash Valley to Hazara, they had an information stand where three Kalasha women were given brochures and leaflets on tourism in KP.
Meeta Gul said: “We have information about our area, Baltistan, actually all of KP. People have shown a lot of interest in the different things.”
Ajmal Khan had brought his ensemble, Tan Ta Khor, with the tabla, ghara, harmonium and rabab from Mardan, to perform for the programme. “People have really liked our music,” he said.
Faizan Tahir, associated with the Pakistan Kennel Club, shared some details about the LandesGruppen Show which was judged by Oskar Michael Dax from Germany.