A little bit of Pakistan in Dubai

Visitors to the Pakistan pavilion at the Global Village revel in the scent of great bargains and glorious food.

The Pakistan pavilion in the Global Village is a little piece of home for thousands of Pakistani expatriates living in the UAE. It is also a veritable treasure trove for bargain seekers regardless of their nationality. Here's what you are likely to see and smell on entering the pavilion each year.

The aroma of foods such as dal and gajar ka halwa, kababs and haleem from traditional restaurants such as Ravi and Kausar and Nirala Sweets soaking the environment. The sounds of women bargaining excitedly and families and friends chatting loudly fill the background.

Even walking through the area, which resembled a typical Pakistani bazaar or souq, is a sensual experience — the bright colours of the fabrics and bangles, the smell of the leather and food, vendors calling out to people to try their wares and then there was a crowd that didn't seem to be moving in any particular direction.

All of these elements warrant a visit. And if that doesn't tempt you, maybe a photo opportunity with a seven-foot-eight-inch man against the recreated façade of Peshawar's Baba E Khyber Fort would.

More than 70 stalls selling leather jackets for men and women, hand embroidered salwar kameez suits, shawls and synthetic and cotton fabrics, handmade slippers from Multan, trendy costume jewellery, intricate rosewood, wooden furniture and traditional carpets are a testament to Pakistan's rich heritage of handicrafts and textiles. The palmist holding court in one of the corners of the pavilion is a delightful surprise for regular shoppers tired of the usual sights.

Fahad Abdullah, a Pakistani and one of the partners of a clothing store called Taj Fashion in Bur Dubai, has been exhibiting at the Global Village for seven years. His company has three stalls at the pavilion this year — two selling textiles and the third, food. Taj Fashion had everything from cotton salwar suits to chikan embroidered traditional wear and sequined kurtas. Abdullah said that sales have been good but added that the location of the pavilion (next to Gate 3 and 4) did affect the number of customers coming to visit them initially. "The rains were also a hindrance but the sales picked up gradually," said Abdullah. He said that his customers mostly were from the subcontinent, especially during weekends. Emiratis and visitors from GCC countries dominated weekdays.

Shamsuddin occupied the stall next to Taj Fashion. He has been exhibiting at the Global Village for a few years. His store stocked up on trendy leather jackets and leather accessories. Shamsuddin was very happy with the sales.

"I observed that Pakistan's leather goods were very popular here. Places such as Karachi, Sialkot and Kasur in Pakistan are famous for their leather goods. I have a manufacturing unit in Karachi," he said. Shamsuddin's wares were popular with Europeans, South Africans, Arabs from the GCC, Indians and Pakistanis.

Another interesting place to visit at the Pavilion is the Thatta Kedona stall, which has beautiful embroidered dresses, finger puppets, necklaces, dolls dressed in traditional Pakistani clothing and other decorative items made by women who are part of a self-help project. The project was initiated by a German woman and is now supported by a group of volunteers. The project involved 120 women from the Thatta Ghulam village, and has helped villagers to maintain their cultural heritage while providing them with a form of livelihood and amenities such as healthcare, education and clean drinking water. The group also has similar projects in countries such as Cameroon and Columbia.

Roman Laube, a German volunteer with the project, said that the traditionally attired dolls had been popular in all the countries that they were exhibited in including Greece. He said the dolls were particularly popular with European expatriates, Emiratis and Saudi citizens at the Global Village.

While the array of products on sale brought a number of people to the pavilion, some such as Samina Ali, a Dubai-based Pakistani entrepreneur, loved visiting because it reminded them of Pakistan. "It's my second year visiting the Global Village. Last year I was here with my friends. This year, however, I brought along family. I recommend this place for the leather purses and fabrics, which are reasonable priced," said Ali, as she placed an order for some traditional sweets at the Nirala Sweets stall.

Tehseem and Rumana Habib, an Indian couple, were also visiting the pavilion for the second year in a row. They said that they liked coming to the Pakistan and Indian pavilions for the ethnic clothing and footwear. "I love the mojris here. The food is also similar to Indian cuisine," said Tehseem.

Huma Hussain, a first-time visitor to the Pakistani pavilion, said that she liked the fabrics on display and promptly went off to buy two metres each of multi-hued cotton. She, like many visitors, had heard about the bargains at the Pavilion and was tempted to make the long trip from Deira to the Global Village.

This word-of-mouth publicity has for years drawn shoppers to the Pavilion, and judging by the growing mass of shoppers that headed that way, the lure of Pakistan and its treasures is not likely to wane in coming years.