Generations of Saraiki artisans have turned clay, camel hide, leather, cotton and wood into some of Pakistan's most recognisable crafts. Multan alone has been called the "City of Saints, Shrines and Crafts" for its blue-glazed pottery and metalwork, passed down through family workshops for centuries.
From the desert edges of Bahawalpur to the bazaars of Multan, this craftsmanship is not just decorative — it is a livelihood for thousands of artisan families, and the foundation of the handicrafts we plan to feature in our upcoming Marketplace category.

Kashi kari — hand-thrown pottery glazed in signature cobalt blue and turquoise, fired and painted using techniques centuries old.
Camel hide is stretched, dyed and hand-painted into decorative lamps, boxes and other goods, a specialty of Multan and Bahawalpur.
Hand-stitched leather khussay, often embroidered or beaded, are a signature South Punjab craft worn at weddings and festivals.
Rural women hand-stitch scraps of cotton into vividly patterned ralli quilts, an age-old patchwork tradition of the Cholistan region.
Fine hand embroidery studded with tiny mirrors decorates shawls, cushions and bridal wear across the Saraiki belt.
Wooden hand-carved blocks stamp bold geometric patterns onto cotton, in the Ajrak-style tradition shared across the Indus region.
Bahawalpur is especially renowned for its lacquered furniture — wooden chairs, cradles, stools and boxes turned on a lathe, then hand-painted in bright lacquer patterns using a technique passed from master craftsmen to apprentices. This furniture once filled the palaces of the Bahawalpur princely state and is still made in small workshops today.
Together, these crafts form a living economy of skilled hands across ملتان تے بہاولپور. As we grow SaraikiCulture.com, this page is the foundation for a dedicated Handicrafts category in our Marketplace, where local artisans will be able to sell their work directly.
Plan your visit through South Punjab tourism to see these artisans at work.
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