Private museum in Pakistan becomes the first to honour a rich textiles heritage

The Haveli, a new textile museum in Karachi, aims to preserve the rich cultural heritage of Sindh, where the Indus River meets the Arabian Sea. Established by Nasreen Askari, the museum showcases intricate indigenous textiles, reflecting the region's diverse history and identity. Despite a significant Hindu migration after India's Partition in 1947, the remnants of this syncretic culture remain evident in local textiles. Askari's lifelong dedication to studying these artifacts highlights the identity expressed through dress, making The Haveli a unique institution focusing on the intricate identity gradations within Pakistani communities, rarely addressed by other museums in the region.

"Dress was their identity. If I did my homework, I could tell where they came from, what religion they were, what status they had."

"The collection on display at The Haveli is the fruit of decades of acquisition and study, focusing on the extraordinary diversity within Pakistani culture."

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