Recognition at last: Famed shawls earn Islampur industrial village status
Locals hope Islampur’s woollen wear producers can capitalise on the change in status.
SWAT:
At a distance of about 14 kilometres from Swat lies the village of Islampur, known across the country for its high quality woollen shawls.
It is the only village where more than 80 per cent of its population of 30,000 is connected with the hand loom profession.
Unfortunately, despite its high quality produce, the village has been ignored by almost every government in the past. That may no longer be the case.
The present provincial government has warmed up to the locale by declaring it an “industrial village”. The announcement was made by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Minister for Industries Ahmad Hussain Shah during his visit to the village a week ago. While addressing a Jirga in the village, he said, “Islampur is a unique village in Pakistan.
There are very few places in the country in which the entire community is connected with the same profession. Despite numerous hurdles, the people of this village are attached with the hand loom industry, annually producing more than two million woollen shawls of the highest standard. Now the government of K-P wishes to help your people by providing facilities and extending the industry to other remote rural areas.”
Answering the Jirga’s questions, Shah said, “All of Islampur’s issues will be resolved in the next budget. A delegation from the village will be sent to foreign countries for exposure and a special stall in Lok Virsa Islamabad will also be installed.”
The handloom industry is run without electricity and exists in every home of the village, helping both men and women make a living.
A woman artisan said, “This is the profession of our forefathers. I make thread from wool on a hand spinning wheel which is then used to make a shawl.”
Another artisan, Riaz, explained, “These woollen shawls are being made for more than a century. We import two types of wool. One type, raw wool, is obtained locally from places such as Kalam, Bahrian, Madyan, Bisham, Pattan and Abottabad. It is spun into thread and made ready for use by our women inside their homes. The other type, ready-made woollen thread, is imported from Australia and China.”
A village elder, Wali Khan Toti, said on the occasion of the minister’s visit, “We hope that this visit will bring along positive changes for the village and our issues will be solved one by one.”
Hazir Gul, a prominent social worker of the area, thanked the minister for giving the village an industrial status and hoped that the promised facilities will help the handloom industry grow further.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2011.
At a distance of about 14 kilometres from Swat lies the village of Islampur, known across the country for its high quality woollen shawls.
It is the only village where more than 80 per cent of its population of 30,000 is connected with the hand loom profession.
Unfortunately, despite its high quality produce, the village has been ignored by almost every government in the past. That may no longer be the case.
The present provincial government has warmed up to the locale by declaring it an “industrial village”. The announcement was made by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Minister for Industries Ahmad Hussain Shah during his visit to the village a week ago. While addressing a Jirga in the village, he said, “Islampur is a unique village in Pakistan.
There are very few places in the country in which the entire community is connected with the same profession. Despite numerous hurdles, the people of this village are attached with the hand loom industry, annually producing more than two million woollen shawls of the highest standard. Now the government of K-P wishes to help your people by providing facilities and extending the industry to other remote rural areas.”
Answering the Jirga’s questions, Shah said, “All of Islampur’s issues will be resolved in the next budget. A delegation from the village will be sent to foreign countries for exposure and a special stall in Lok Virsa Islamabad will also be installed.”
The handloom industry is run without electricity and exists in every home of the village, helping both men and women make a living.
A woman artisan said, “This is the profession of our forefathers. I make thread from wool on a hand spinning wheel which is then used to make a shawl.”
Another artisan, Riaz, explained, “These woollen shawls are being made for more than a century. We import two types of wool. One type, raw wool, is obtained locally from places such as Kalam, Bahrian, Madyan, Bisham, Pattan and Abottabad. It is spun into thread and made ready for use by our women inside their homes. The other type, ready-made woollen thread, is imported from Australia and China.”
A village elder, Wali Khan Toti, said on the occasion of the minister’s visit, “We hope that this visit will bring along positive changes for the village and our issues will be solved one by one.”
Hazir Gul, a prominent social worker of the area, thanked the minister for giving the village an industrial status and hoped that the promised facilities will help the handloom industry grow further.
Published in The Express Tribune, January 18th, 2011.