Afghan carpet business harmed by nosediving Af-Pak ties

PESHAWAR/KABUL’s crackdown against Afghan nationals illegally staying in the country is badly hitting the famed Afghan carpet business, as a large number of artisans have left Peshawar and other parts of the country.

Over the past many years, Peshawar had turned into major market for the famed Afghan carpet business as artisans escaping bouts of violence across Afghanistan sought shelter in Peshawar and its adjoining areas and where they also setup their looms.

Apparently, the situation has come full circle for these artisans as they are finding it difficult to live in the country, amid a crackdown against Afghans living in the country which was launched in the aftermath of the Army Public School massacre back in December 2014.
Subsequent saber-rattling and deteriorating relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan have only added to the woes of Afghan nationals living in Pakistan.
The carpet business has come down by about 80 percent in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, says Fazal Hayat a carpet trader who mostly deals in Afghan carpet in provincial capital.

He said that there were about 5,000 carpet looms were in operation across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa as per a survey they conducted with the help of the Afghan carpet makers sometime back. “There are hardly about a 1000 are left now,” he said, adding that many among those left behind were also waiting to close their shops and only trying to sell their existing stocks and meeting previous contracts.
“To a great extent, Afghan carpet business in Peshawar is over,” he said. He said that decade long wave of terror which plagued Pakistan for more than a year literally stopped the international tourists from visiting the country, who purchased the bulk of carpets, which badly affected the business.

Crackdown against Afghan is taking care of the rest as well and soon there will only the vestiges of a thriving business be left here, he said.

Abdur Rehman, an artisan who works in a carpet-factory near Bakhshu Pul area on Charsadda Road area of the provincial capital said that about 30 Afghan artisans who were working along with him have left for Afghanistan due to the crackdown against refugees.
He said that this factory was in operation for past 15 days and doing a thriving business so far; however, ongoing crackdown was badly affecting the business. “Pakistani government crackdown was against Afghan refugees was creating labor problems for establishment like their factories,” he said, adding that currently they were finding it difficult with hiring artisans.

He said a carpet measuring six feet weaved by four people takes at least three months to complete, while the pricing is determined by quality of material as well labor. “This has in turn also brought down the demand and the situation is likely to further deteriorate as the Afghan continue to leave Pakistan in large number.

He said that if the number of the artisans goes down, then these establishments would also not be able to meet the demand and contracts.
He said that there were various verities of Afghan carpets like Turkoman, Kazak and Tajik.

Nasir Ismail a carpet artisan at another factory in Afghan Colony area of the city said that previously there were at least 30 people worked at the factory where he works.

Majority of artisans have now gone back to Afghanistan in due to the crackdown and now there were only three to four artisans were left at this factory. “Work used to be very good in the some years back and now it has rock bottom,” he said, adding that it has also decreased the demand as well.

He said that in case the factory closes down then they would not have any other recourse other than shifting to some other business.

Humra Qul, a resident of the Turkuman Camp located in the Nowshera district, where hundreds of Turkoman Afghan refugees live said that he came to Pakistan some 30 years back and had no idea how he could relocated to Afghanistan and start a life there.
He said that they were associated with carpet business and were contributing to the Pakistan’s economy. “Our women were preparing carpet in homes and males were daily wagers and on this way we were earn of our bread,” he said.
He said that going back to Afghanistan was very risky for them as last year an Afghan family migrated to Qanduz from Haripur area of Pakistan and 15 members of the family were killed by militants. “We want to stay here and want safe future for our children and do not walk back into the crosshair of the death,” he said.
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