(MENAFN - Tribal News Network) By Gul Hammad Farooqi

CHITRAL, 5 December: The sale of hand-made traditional cultural dresses, caps, waistcoats and Chugha (long coat) witness increase in winter season in Chitral. These warm cultural dresses are made from sheep wool. This wool is normally called Chitrali Patti.

Chitrali Patti has assumed the status of an industry in Chitral as women besides looking after their houses also wash sheep wool and extract thread from it with hands. After this process the threads are converted into Patti which is used in preparation of Chitrali caps, Chugha, waistcoats and women shawls. The hand-made woollen items of Chitral are famous throughout Pakistan and other countries. Visitors from different parts of the country and abroad take keen interest in purchasing these items.

Sohaib Mukhtiar, a visitor from Multan, said he has come to Chitral to buy Chitrali warm clothes for his family.

'We have come here to buy Chitrali caps, Chughas and shawls. The hand-made items of Chitral are of high quality and very good looking as well,' he told TNN.

Shahi Bazaar is the main market for warm clothes in Chitral. A large number of national and foreign visitors come to this market and take keen interest in shopping.

However, the people associated with the business of sale of warm clothes complain of lack of support from the government. Some people associated with this business told TNN that the government is paying no attention to development of this industry and they are still making warm clothes by using old and traditional techniques which is a time-consuming exercise. They called upon the government to provide financial assistance to the people associated with this business and also provide modern machinery. They said promotion of this industry will create thousands of job opportunities.

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