In the heart of Karachi (the KDA area), a long-overdue tribute to Pakistan’s rich textile heritage has finally taken form—The Haveli: A Museum of Textiles. More than just a collection of fabric and hand embroidery, the museum stands as a cultural landmark. This is bound to ensure that Pakistan’s deeply rooted textile traditions are preserved. Thus, allowing textiles to be rightfully recognized as the essential part of the nation’s identity that it is.
Many ancient societies have cherished textile traditions. However, for Pakistan its textile history dates as far back as over 5,000 years to the Indus Valley Civilization (IVC). The IVC is one of the earliest known cultures to cultivate and weave cotton. Archaeological evidence from Mohenjo-Daro and Harappa reveals lots of artifacts which speak to this history. Objects like spindle whorls, woven fabric impressions on pottery, and tools for textile production all indicate a highly developed early textile industry.
Yet, until recently, the country did not have a museum dedicated exclusively to preserving and displaying its historical textiles. However in December 2024 The Haveli: A Museum of Textiles was opened. The Haveli, founded by a private family foundation is chaired by textile scholar Nasreen Askari. Askari’s decades-long research and collection efforts has resulted in her owning nearly 1,000 textile pieces in her collection.
The Story Behind This Private Collection of 1,000 Objects
An article by The Guardian describes how Askari began her journey of collecting so many textile pieces. Fifty years ago when Askari was a medical student, she met the mother of a sick child. After what the mother saw as pointless questions about her family history, she laid out her intricately embroidered shawl pointing to embroidered symbols of community, marriage status, and children. She then told Askari that was her family history. This encounter sparked Askari’s lifelong passion for collecting and understanding the stories woven into Pakistan’s fabrics.
Nasreen Askari and her husband Hasan Askari opened the museum in December 2024. Hasan, who is a former trustee of the British Museum, brings his deep appreciation for cultural preservation to The Haveli. Their shared passion for textiles was the impetus behind this vision being realized. The museum building has 5 galleries, each devoted to a specific type of embroidery. Two of the five galleries will feature permanent displays of heritage textiles from across Pakistan.
The Museum’s Inaugural Exhibition: A Coat of Many Colors
The Haveli’s inaugural exhibition explores the diversity inherent in the textile traditions of Sindh’s minority communities through a display of 65 objects. Across these minority communities, textile traditions are deeply linked to identity, heritage, and storytelling. Fabrics like Ajrak, Ralli quilts, Phulkari, and Balochi embroidery carry generational knowledge and cultural pride.
Hasan is quoted in The Guardian as saying, “At a time when so much of south Asia is dominated by sectarian strife, and religion has become so weaponized for division, we wanted to make a statement of unity. We desperately believe in recognizing contributions that minority groups have made to textile traditions in Sindh to show they have not been forgotten.”
Moreover, in an Instagram post featuring the opening of the textile museum, here’s what Hasan said. “This exhibition is about the contribution of a particular community (the Hindus) to the Arts and Crafts of Sindh before 1947”.
The Haveli: A Museum of Textiles is not only dedicated to displaying and preserving Pakistan’s textiles. Its programs will focus on empowering craftspersons and their communities, both in Karachi and across rural Pakistan. This will foster connections and preserve their traditional skills. The museum’s aim is to nurture the creation of original textiles that reflect the diversity of Pakistan’s heritage.
For a nation whose economy and cultural identity have been deeply tied to textiles, it is exciting to see that a formal institution dedicated to the preservation of textiles has finally been created.
What’s Currently on at The Haveli: A Museum of Textiles
The inaugural exhibition at The Haveli: A Museum of Textiles is titled “A Coat of Many Colors”. It’s on view until November 3rd, 2025. Go see it if you’re anywhere near Karachi. Pakistan.
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