Hunar Mela kicks off to showcase handicrafts

PESHAWAR: The five-day Hunar Mela started to showcase handicrafts crafted by artisans from various parts of the country.

Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Culture and Tourism Authority (KPCTA), Destination Heritage Greens Peshawar and Hunar Zone have jointly organised the event.

Secretary of the Department of Tourism, Culture, Archaeology, and Museums Muhammad Bakhtiar Khan inaugurated the event. He said participation in such exhibitions provided skilled women working from home with an opportunity to showcase their talents. He said the inclusion of skilled women in the Hunar Mela was a welcome step. The Department of Tourism and Culture along with the KPCTA would organise more programmes to support these artisans, added the official.

General Manager Destination Heritage Greens Peshawar, Sajjad Abbasi, Director Hunar Zone Urooj Hamdani, President of Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry Rabia Basri, Prof Dr Hameeda, Ms Tashfeen and others were present as well.

The stalls displaying paintings by various students, handmade items by prisoners from the Department of Prisons, and crafts from Swat, Hazara, Bahawalpur and other districts were set up at the fair. A musical evening featuring a live performance by the Jam Boys has also been scheduled during the Hunar Mela at the Destination Heritage Greens Peshawar.

The fair would conclude on December 31 after showcasing handicraft stalls from artisans across various provinces of the country.

The participants praised the organisers for arranging such an opportunity for the artisans from different districts of the province with a platform to present their crafts to the world.

Stalls at the Hunar Mela included items crafted by prisoners from the Department of Prisons, Swati shawls, Hazara embroidery, mizri (woven art), wax-based crafts, food stalls, women’s clothing, leather good, and much more.