KARACHI: Afghan turbans, coins and samawars were exhibited at the first-ever Afghan dress and cultural exhibition organised by the Consulate General of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan at Frère Hall on Thursday.
The display included bright traditional dresses, Pakhtun instruments, dull-silver jewellery, cobalt blue veils and other items used by the Afghan people for centuries. “We are thankful to the government for giving us the honour of presenting our culture to Pakistanis,” said Afghan Consul-General Abdul Ahad Khaliqyar.
The consulate’s Parven Malal made arrangements for the exhibition and said the purpose was to present her country’s rich culture. “The cultures of our two nations are similar, especially in areas such as Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and Quetta,” she said. The current Pakistani fashion of umbrella sleeves and large shalwars is actually a modification of the Afghan traditional dress, she revealed.
Visitor Fazal Aziz was impressed. “It’s relaxing to come here and free yourself from the terror of target killings and bomb blasts, even if it is for a few hours,” he laughed, adding that, “we only hear about the Afghan Taliban nowadays so we tend to forget that Afghans have a rich culture. It’s sad to see that the splendor of Afghan and Pakistani cultures are fading away, being overwhelmed by militancy”.
Published in The Express Tribune, February 4th, 2011.
Even Adobe Photoshop can't change me.
A line[Durrand line] of hatred that raised a wall between the two brothers -Hamid Karzai
For generations, the Hindus of India prayed for deliverance from "the venom of the cobra, the teeth of the tiger and the vengeance of the Afghan."
The men of Kábul and Khilj also went home; and whenever they were questioned about the Musulmáns of the Kohistán (the mountains), and how matters stood there, they said, "Don't call it Kohistán, but Afghánistán; for there is nothing there but Afgháns and disturbances." Thus it is clear that for this reason the people of the country call their home in their own language Afghánistán, and themselves Afgháns. The people of India call them Patán; but the reason for this is not known. But it occurs to me, that when, under the rule of Muhammadan sovereigns, Musulmáns first came to the city of Patná, and dwelt there, the people of India (for that reason) called them Patáns—but God knows!
-Ferishta, 1560–1620