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.

“It was a very good show. There were more long coat German Shepherds because generally that is the preference in Islamabad. There were 74 dogs in total and I would say the ratio of long to short coat would be 60 to 40,” he said.

Mamoon Shahzad said: “This is wonderful programme especially for families. Children really enjoy themselves. Other companies and organisations should also promote similar events. My two children went to the jumping castles and the dog show and they had a lot of fun.”

Iram Naeem said: “I’ve spent a couple of hours here and it was time well spent. The traditional stalls were very nice. I’m from Rawalpindi so this is my first time at the Lifestyles exhibition.”

Anjum Akhtar a proud dog owner, albeit currently of a poodle, said: “My favourite part was the dog show. I used to have a German Shepherd and there were some exceptional dogs in the show this morning. It’s a good thing this event is happening for the people of Islamabad – it keeps them busy, it’s good entertainment.”

Interesting assortments of products were organised with stalls for daily use goods; food items for instance were placed near large electronics. Large companies had brought their products, using the exhibition as a means to inform consumers about the benefits of their latest offerings.

The food court this time featured mainly Pakistani foods with a heavy emphasis on barbecue, biryani and pulao variants and chaats.

Asghar Ali, ordering a range of things from different vendors, said: “This is the best thing about a food court, you can try whatever you like. I can order a single biryani for my sister and get gol gappas for my wife. I am going to have seekh kebabs myself.”

Published in Dawn, December 2nd, 2018