Now, India, Pak fight over Kashmiri handicraft

SRINAGAR: Forget Kashmir, India and Pakistan are now fighting over the famed handicraft of the Valley.

Pakistan has opposed the registration of the sozni embroidery craft under the geographical indicator (GI), saying artisans in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK) are also masters of this craft. Sozni is hand-knitted embroidery carried out on shawls and other dress material which has a huge demand in the country and abroad.

“Rawalpindi Chamber of Commerce and Industry has objected to our move to register sozni with the Chennai-based GI, saying they too are involved in this craft and we do not have exclusive rights on it. Since, the issue has been hanging fire,” said Mohammad Shariq Farooqi, director, Craft Development Institute (CDI), Kashmir.

Experts say the objection to sozni has political overtones since Islamabad considers Kashmir a disputed and unsettled issue and therefore, does not want to give any leverage to New Delhi. “It is nothing but politics. They know Brand Kashmir means this part of Kashmir, not PoK. But they do not want us to harvest its benefits,” said a senior bureaucrat.

h_ishfaq@dnaindia.net