Intricate works by home-based workers astonish diplomats

[Naveed Yaseen]

Myra Imran
The women home-based workers (HBWs) from Multan displayed their elegantly embroidered clothes, ‘chunries’ and shoes at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA) here on Friday.

The exhibition was part of a seminar organised by Nevcom in collaboration with International Labour Organisation and Lagan Welfare Association on ‘Market Linkages for HBWs’. The handmade products remained the focus of attention of diplomats who seemed astonished when told about the amount of work involved in the making of these products.

Nariko Parati, wife of Italian ambassador, was the chief guest on the occasion.

Showing her beautiful bead work and embroidery, Nusrat Mukhtar, a home-based worker from Multan, told ‘The News’ that it took her 10 to 15 days to make one suit and it was sold for only Rs400 in the local market. “We have no choice, but to compromise, as we do not have any direct linkages with the market,” she said. At the stall of ‘chunri’ work, Ghulam Sakina from Karor Pakka, Multan, said that it required four to five days to tie up a ‘chunri’ suit. “It is a very delicate process, as we use lentils to give ‘chunri’ print to the cloth,” she said but regretted that the returns did not match to the hard work they put in.

At the block printing stall was Fayaz Ahmed who uses natural dye to print colourful designs on hand woven cloth. His stall became the diplomats’ favourite after they were briefed on the samples of dyes displayed at the stall. Fayaz, also from Karor Pakka, uses natural indigo, locally produced ‘katha,’ the skin of pomegranate and a special type of wood to manufacture dyes. The aroma of herbs emerging from the bed sheets was evidence of the genuine ingredients used during the printing process. “In the entire country, only our family is involved in this kind of block printing,” said a proud Fayaz.

He said that they especially grow blue indigo in their area for this purpose, as it gives perfect blue colour whereas other herbs give an effect of brown and red. “The natural dye and fabric used in these bed sheets is also good for the skin,” he pointed out.

Talking about the difficulties he faces in Karor Pakka, Fayaz said that due to lack of finances, they were not able to expand their businesses. “We applied for loan but the banks do not approve any loan without bank statements.” He said that it takes a day for making one bed sheet and it is sold for Rs300 only in the local market. One can easily imagine its demand in the international market by looking the interest shown by foreigners. Due to nominal profits and restricted business, Fayaz said that local people were no longer passing on this skill to the next generation. “If this product is not promoted and protected, it will simply disappear.”

Encouraging the group of HBWs present on the occasion, Nariko Parati said that women HBWs played a very important role in making Italy a big name in the fashion world. “If encouraged and facilitated, the Pakistani HBWs can also contribute tremendously to the fashion industry of the country.”

Director Lagan Welfare Association Safia Agha said that up to 70 per cent of workingwomen were engaged in home-based work. “Official data sources such as census of Pakistan do not recognise these workers, as an independent category, but have included them in the broad category of those working in household industries,” she said.

Officer Incharge of ILO Margret Reed Round said that she had found Pakistani handicraft perfectly elegant with beautiful colour combinations and delicate designs. “All these details involve immense amount of hard work, but unfortunately not many people think about the problems faced by those who are involved in production of these classical pieces,” she added.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/daily_detail.asp?id=179096