Pakistan is a wonderland for shoppers. You may find exotic memorabilias and all sorts of household and luxurious items at reasonably low prices.
Karachi is indeed a shopping heaven. Sadder is the central shopping area in Karachi, it is spread around
and between the two main streets. Abdullah Haroon road and
Zaib-un-Nisa Street, and is about 1 km from south to north. It is
fun to spend a few hours wandering through alleyways, where
Victorian brick archietecture rub shoulders with modern concrete..
it is all very lively and noisy with a great variety of shops in a
succession of different bazaar's each specializing in its own
commodity. Going north upto Abdullah Haroon road, you first come to
Zainab Market on the right. Inside we find dozen's of shop's,
selling new copper's, Brass onyx, inlaid woodwork, lacquer work,
hand block printed cloth's and applique bedspreads. Some shops sell
excellent old emroided Sindhi cloth. Traditional wedding dresses
with mirror embroidery work, leather garments and old tribal silver
jewelry, Zainab market also sells very good, extremely cheap cotton
shirts, and ready made shalwar kameez. A little further up Abdullah
Haroon Road are the carpets shops.
They sell both, new Pakistani rugs and old tribal rugs, from Balochistan Afghanistan and Iran.
Bhori bazaar is down the side lanes to the north of the carpet
shops. It is the world with in itself. You walk down the narrow
alleys ducking the cloth and clothing strung across for display. It
is very photogenic. North again is the empress market, opened in
1889. This is the vast Victorian structure in Moghul Gothic style,
with a clock tower, 50 meters high, housing hundred of shops and
stalls. With in and around it are the meat and fish markets, fruit,
and vegetable stalls. Section's of different Bazaar's specializing
in different handicraft's and good's.
While in Lahore the Anarkali Bazaar is the most fascinating. The
alleys and lanes of this bazaar are full of exciting wares,
especially traditional crafts like leatherwear, embroided garments,
glass bangles, beaten gold and silver jewelry, creation in silk-
anything that you wish to bargain. It is named after the Akbar's
Courtesan called Anarkali, Who, according to legend was put to death
by Emperor Akbar for having a love affair with prince Salim, Later
known as Jehangir. Old brass and copper are another good buy from
the shops around the Charing Cross.
Some good buys can be found in the brass bazaar in the old city but it is difficult to find and is
usually unpolished or still coated in tin. Brass is poisonous and
cannot be used for food until tinned. Other Shopping areas in Lahore
may include the Sarafa Bazaar, Copper and Brass Bazaar, Kashmiri
Bazaar, Liberty Market etc.
While in the city Multan, the Mangoes of Shujabad district are the best in the world. Apart from this, Multani khussa (shoes); embroidered clothes for ladies; embroidered cholas for men; earthenware pottery, painted potter, camel skin ware (e.g. lamps); carpets wooden products, especial lacquered wood are all best buys for tourists.
