Daily Times

As all of the provinces of Pakistan have their own traditional and cultural things, Balochistan is famous for its needlework dresses, cushions and bed sheets, embroideries, artistry of the crafts-man like pottery and ornaments making, and also the Balochi chappals.

The Balochi chappals or shoes which we Baloch called them ‘chawaat’ in local Balochi language are invaluable not in Pakistan only but their distinctive designs and beauty have earned a tremendous and a great name across the world. Since they have a special attraction, richness colour and a low price that they can be easily bought by anyone.

Balochi chappals’s fine leather is embroidered with colourful threads and fine golden and silver wires are used to add to their beauty. These chawaats not only have a high value and beauty, but they actually have a extreme time of running means a person can wear them more than two years continuously without getting them broke or torn anyplace.

Chawats have now become synonymous with Balochistan and the credit of their production goes to the craftsmen.

This tradition of handicrafts initiated in Balochisatan centuries ago and is still excessively progressing day by day from one generation to other.

This handicraft work is being done in many places of Balochisatan including Quetta, Khuzdar, Awaran, Gresha, and many other places.

Chawats have now become synonymous with Balochistan and the credit for their production goes to the craftsmen

There are multifarious kinds of Balochi chapals (chawaats) with different prices, color, shape and size. The price is from 300-3000 or more than that. Since it depends on the quality of the chawaats as more beautiful and strong the chawaat is more high will be the price worth.

The handicrafts of making Balochi chawaats though involves lesser labour, lesser fine leather using colour thread and fine golden and silver wire, but they still attract the foreigners and tourists who visit these sites where these chapals are being made.

Everyday new designs and techniques of handicrafts is being made by girls or women and craftsmen. This embroidery is not only boosting the figure of the country national and internationally but hundreds and thousands of destitute Baloch is being feed by its relief as well.

So, I ultimately suggest every Pakistanis and tourists to have a visit in the places of Balochistan where these chawaats are being embroidered or made since these places have a luxurious and great attraction which not only make someone to feel cosy and refresh rather make him to remembered the journey of his tour forever.

Government needs to encourage and support Baloch handicrafts.

The writer is a student and can be reached at abdulwaheednigwari@gmail.com