Pride of Pakistan

The bustling by-lanes of Meena Bazaar are beaming with life, with shops enlivened by decorative lights, horns blaring at times, and crowds of people bargaining to get the desired price. Over the years, Meena Bazaar has become Bur Dubai's main shopping district and a favourite destination for shoppers from the subcontinent as well as tourists looking to splurge on the latest and trendy garments and textiles.

Popular Pakistani stores in the UAE call this street their home and their collections boast of crisp cottons, luxurious silks, sheer organzas and chic chiffons in an array of striking colours, all synonymous with the rich legacy of Pakistani textiles.

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One such store is Bareeze that has been in the area since 1995 and is renowned for their exquisitely detailed fabrics. Today, they have branches in Satwa, Karama, Bur Dubai, and Rolla in Sharjah.

To celebrate the Pakistan Independence Day, the store has decorated its window display with gorgeous dresses in Pakistan's national colours, green and white.

Store manager Maqsood Ahmed has been with Bareeze for the past 15 years. He says, "Some of our busiest months are usually mid-June to July, Dubai Shopping Festival and the summer vacations. Our designs are 100 per cent Pakistani and the fabric is manufactured and designed in Pakistan."

On the special occasion of Independence Day, Ahmed says, "We love our country, love to represent it internationally, want it to be a peaceful nation, and want to contribute towards its development. This day makes me feel proud to be a Pakistani!"

Another famous brand on the street is Nishat Linen, popular for its comfy range available in a range of formal, casual and party dresses. Store Manager Zain Mehmood says, "We have a total of nine stores across the country and have had a very good response. Most of our customers are from the subcontinent, but we also receive a lot of interest from foreigners who really like our day-to-day pret collection of kurtas."

Zain Mehmood

When asked about how they plan to celebrate Pakistan's Independence Day, Mehmood says, "We are launching our latest store on August 15 at Al Ghurair Mall. We have decorated our stores to reflect our patriotic pride and will offer a sale to celebrate the occasion."

Asad Niazi, Outlet Manager of the Meena Bazaar branch of Junaid Jamshed, one of the popular apparel brands from Karachi, says that the brand has been here for six years and receive a great response from clientele.

Asad Niazi

Gearing up for celebrations, the store is decorated with a number of green balloons to mark the Independence Day. Niazi says, "All of our items are made in Karachi and reflect the current trends that are popular in the country. We are going all out to mark Independence Day celebrations as we really miss being home on this day."

Hanif Jan Mohammad, Owner of Al Jannath General Trading LLC, calls his outlet 'Pakistan House' - where leading brands from the country are readily available at a medium to high range. "We opened the store in 2013. Most of our customers are from India, Pakistan as well countries such as the UK, Canada, as well as a huge number of tourists that come to the city. We also receive customers from Ajman and Sharjah," he says.

Hanif Jan Mohammad

Mohammad says that some of their popular seasons are Eid, Diwali and Dubai Shopping Festival, and these days they are being digitally savvy.

"Before a new catalogue collection launches in Pakistan, there is a huge social media buzz for it and as soon as it is released we get a number of enquiries about when it would be available here. Some of the popular catalogue brands include Gul Ahmed, Sana Safinaz, etc.," he says.

Mohammad says that for Pakistan Independence Day he is going to decorate the shop with the national flag and other accessories. He says, "My hope is to promote Pakistan as much as I can!"

- supplements@khaleejtimes.com