Traditional designs: Local goes global - Ahan sets up first outlet

Non-profit aims to promote Pakistani handicrafts.

LAHORE:

“Maintaining the original designs of the craftsman is very vital while giving our feedback,” said Imran Ahmad, the head of Ahan’s Project Development on Tuesday at Ahan’s outlet launch.

The products showcased on Tuesday included beaded bangles, handbags, leather wallets, embroidered clothing, patchwork bed linen, ajrak scarves, bed sheets, handmade pottery and hand woven rugs.

Ahan - Aik Hunar, Aik Nagar, a project of the Ministry of Production, launched its outlet at the Xinhua Hall on Tuesday. The outlet was inaugurated by Federal Minister of Production Chaudhry Anwar Ali Cheema and the newly appointed US Consul General Nina Maria Fite.

Ahan, a non-profit company, is a public sector organisation working under the Ministry of Production. Operating along the lines of the Japanese One Village-One Product concept and the Thai One Tambon-One Product concept, Ahan aims to project the traditional handicrafts of Pakistan into the market and to provide a friendly economic environment to the craftsmen.

With their head office and design cell located in Lahore, Ahan has three other regional offices, one each in Karachi, Quetta and Peshawar. Starting their operation in 2007, the project has so far promoted local craftsmen in at least 20 exhibitions in Pakistan and 6 exhibitions abroad. Maroof Afzal, the CEO of Ahan, was also present at the ceremony.

The Ministry of Production secretary Javed Iqbal Awan speaking with The Express Tribune said it was a very useful initiative which had offered a breakthrough in boosting the work of local artists. “The launch of this outlet has helped to centralise the scattered efforts of the past,” he said.

Promoting the works of almost 30,000 artists from all corners of Pakistan, Ahan operates by launching small scale localised initiatives in rural areas.

Ahmed said they had a team of dedicated designers who worked with local artists to support product development and marketing. After extensive market research, the designers offer their input to the craftsmen to help increase the worth of the product in the local and international market.

This is the Ahan’s first outlet. More will soon be inaugurated in Islamabad and Karachi.



Published in The Express Tribune, September 21^st, 2011.