Shopping

Shopping

If you wish to truly experience Pakistan, the best way is to go shopping in its colorful bazaars. Most items, particularly hand-made ones do not have a fixed price labeled, you have an option to bargain. There is a long list of items that you may think about buying at very nominal prices but you may not go for everything you like. Below is a selected list of items that can be purchased at a low price and recommended to international tourists.

Cheap garments: embroidered bed sheets, Pashmina shawls, scarves, shirts, T-shirts, jeans and other stuff.

Carpets & Rugs: Pakistan is famous for handmade carpets and rugs mostly coming from Central Asia, Afghanistan and Persia. Carpets from these countries may not be cheaper but can be a great souvenir. One can find local handmade carpets at a reasonable price. In Islamabad, Peshawar, Gilgit and Hunza there is a great variety of carpets and rugs.

Leather goods:     The best option for tourists to buy leather products including shoes, jackets, bags, purses, Belts, casings, gloves and much more.

Wall Hanging: There is a great variety of traditional wall hangings showcasing striking expressions. Traditional Sindhi, Balochi, Punjabi, nomadic, and those from mountainous Gilgit-Baltistan and Chitral come both in antique and new designs and make up a great handiwork collection. These wall hangings can serve as a great décor to your house and also embrace memories.

Jewelery: The jewelry made of precious and semi-precious stones in Pakistan comes with a traditional flair to it. Often, the jewelry made from silver or gold with gemstones embedded into its surface, is heavy. However, there is a great choice for buying gemstone jewelry including earrings, necklace sets, bangles, rings, bracelets, etc made of rubies, emeralds, sapphires and other gems in Gilgit-Baltistan, where everything, from modern to traditional pieces, is on display at reasonable prices. Otherwise, you can get gold jewelry at different dealers in any major city of Pakistan. Sarafa Bazar in Rawalpindi and Liberty Market in Lahore are famous for gold jewelry.

Wood craft: Vases, boxes, bird houses, clock making, wood miniatures, words & letter cutouts, plates & spoons, pots, candle cups, chess sets and toys carved inlaid wood are popular souvenirs and can be found in any traditional bazaars, tourist emporiums or where furniture is sold.

Onyx: It comes in numerous colors, shades and shaps. Pakistan is famous for black onyx and cannot be found anywhere else. Though it’s not the cheapest souvenir, but to have or present something different and special, the black onyx is really what you can consider.

Pottery: The best handmade pottery is made in Multan city in Pakistan’s southern Punjab province.  The traditional color combination of blue & white with floral decorations is immensely appealing but one can also find different colors. Although the pottery can be found across Pakistan but obviously for the best deals, Multan is the place.

Organic Honey: Pakistan is one of the key producers of organic honey. In Punjab, KPK and Gilgit-Baltistan, honey production has been adopted as a prime business. It is traded online on a massive scale but at the same time one can purchase honey from market easily.

Oils: Organic apricot, almond and walnut oil come with numerous medicinal properties. One can carry a limited quantity from Pakistan while travelling abroad. It is usually found in the markets in Hunza, Gilgit and Skardu and it can also be ordered online.

Dry Fruits: Decades ago, when there was shortage of food items, fruits and veggies were dried for winter season. But gradually, with the expansion of markets and availability of all items in the market, the practice of drying and preserving of food items diminished. However, now the trend of drying almost all fruits on a commercial basis is widespread. One can find a verity of fruits and veggies in dry form. For foreigners, recommended dry fruits include dry apricot and nuts, dry cherries, almond, and walnut. There are other end products using dry fruits and organic oils. Markets in Hunza, Gilgit and Skardu are popular for dry fruits and oils.

Sports goods: Footballs, cricket bats/balls, sportswear, and other sports goods of high quality are found at a low costs. To mention, Sialkot city is the key producer producing 90 percent of the world’s sports goods and is the largest provider of sports equipment to FIFA for the World cup.

Other items: Surgical instruments, musical instruments, glassware, brassware, marble products, crystal work, antiques, home accessories and kitchen utensils are also found on a reasonable price in major markets.