Made in India, popular in Pakistan

Made in India, popular in Pakistan
BHAVNA VIJ

LAHORE, MAY 10: Fascination for Indian goods is one reason behind the increase in smuggling of various items, mainly on the Samjhauta Express route. Cosmetics, clothes, movies, posters of film stars, paan leaves, betel nut, saunf (fennel)...you name it and it's there. All these items -- mostly smuggled -- find their way into Paan Gali of the famous Anarkali Bazaar, Gulberg market and Shahdman market.

``Most of the things are illegally sold since the shopkeepers are supposed to pay tax to the government to sell imported goods,'' says the chairman of Gulberg market, Aafiz Mohmad. But the demand for Indian goods is tremendous and trading in them is extremely profitable, he adds.

Cosmetics are much in demand -- hair oils, fairness creams, shampoos and blackhead removal strips are the most popular. In the narrow Paan Gali -- quite similar to the by-lanes of Chandni Chowk in Delhi -- Indian cosmetics fill the shops.

Bindis are also a rage. ``We cannot use bindis normally, but when we go for parties, bindis -- especially the silver ones -- look really cool,'' says Saima Haider, a college student at Paan Gali.

Then there are video cassettes of the latest Hindi movies being sold on the sly. ``Usually we put a different cover on it,'' says a shopkeeper, removing the cover of a Pakistani Urdu movie to reveal Dilwale Dulhaniya Le Jayenge, one of the more popular films here.

Posters of Shahrukh Khan, Kajol, Salman Khan and Aishwarya Rai are displayed openly. ``These are the most in demand, but I have ordered posters of the new boy, Hrithik Roshan, also. Some youngsters have been asking for it,'' he says.

Among the clothes which are extremely popular here are colourful ``bandhanis from Rajasthan, printed cotton salwar-kameez sets from Delhi, resham (silk) from Varanasi, embroidered chikan suits from Lucknow and dupattas".

``I love the work on Lucknavi suits and pastel colours look lovely in summers,'' says Mosooda Bano, a housewife shopping at Gulberg market. Inderpal Singh, a Sikh youth, who has a shop in Gulberg, says that his brother has a business in Karol Bagh, Delhi. ``I keep going there to get material from him.'' And how does he bring all that to Pakistan? ``On Samjhauta Express, that is the cheapest and most convenient,'' he adds.

Arshad Khan says he is also going to India next month. ``I am going to get Kashmiri shawls. I believe Shatoosh has been banned there. They are very much in demand here, along with Pashmina shawls. I will get my stock for winter now. I'll get them at a reasonable price in this season,'' he explains.

However, these traders and shopkeepers are facing a tough time with the government having cracked down on them. ``Either pay taxes or pack up,'' the government has ordered and negotiations are being held with the traders.

``The government says it is losing $ 2 billion every year on account of revenue loss due to smuggling. They have been raiding our shops. For the time being, sale of these goods has become slack,'' says a policeman posted near Shadman market.