Neighbourly ties: Pakistan stall proves a hit

India and Pakistan are sharing a great neighbourly camaraderie at the India International Trade Fair this year.

India and Pakistan are sharing a great neighbourly camaraderie at the India International Trade Fair this year. With offerings like hand-printed textiles,sequined cloth,ornate wall hangings,decorative marble pieces and food products,a mini Pakistan stands out amid the mélange of nations at the fair. And customers,especially women,are making the most of it.

I love Pakistani suits, said Kavita Sharma,a homemaker. Last year too I had visited the Pakistani stalls for the suit material.

Pakistani traders,meanwhile,said they have brought Pakistan to India. We have brought Pakistani culture and tradition with us. We are offering a rich variety in textiles and carpets that are not found in India, said a stall owner from Karachi.

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Embroidered salwar kameez and hand-made curtains in a fusion of colours are drawing customers in hordes.

Pakistani exhibitors are happy with the response so far. Customers also enquire about new products, said one Raju at one of the stalls. Indians love the handwork and block prints,so there is a great demand for that, said Ziauddin from Lahore.

Dress material for weddings was also being sought at the stalls. The threadwork is beautiful, Suman Gupta,browsing through the stalls,said.

The food stalls too are a hit. At one stall,Zaffar offers everyone a taste of the chocolate he has set out for sale. He hands everybody a spoonful of chocolate from a jar. I bought chicken spread and mayonnaise from his stall, said Sumayya Zahoor.

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With the fair opening up for all visitors Thursday onwards,the exhibitors are expecting better business.

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