Makhdoom Pur’s handwoven khaddar legacy struggles amid changing textile market

KHANEWAL: Makhdoom Pur Pahoran, an old trading and cultural town in Khanewal district, has long been associated with handlooms, khaddar, shawls and other handwoven textiles, giving it a notable place in the textile heritage of South Punjab.

Historical accounts and local narratives describe the town as an important centre for khaddar production. The tradition is linked to the region’s longstanding connection with cotton farming, which enabled local communities to develop spinning and weaving as a cottage industry that became a key part of the local economy.

Khaddar, a hand-spun and handwoven cloth known for warmth and durability, remained closely tied to rural life in Punjab. Because Makhdoom Pur lay between Multan, Tulamba and Kabirwala, the town stayed connected to historic trade routes that helped its textiles reach markets across the wider region.

Family-based weaving and trade

Before Partition in 1947, Muslim, Sikh and Hindu traders all took part in business in the town’s markets, where the khaddar and handloom trade was an important element of commercial activity. Traditional wooden looms installed in homes and workshops functioned through family labour, with women spinning cotton into yarn, men operating the looms, younger family members transporting finished cloth to market, and local dyers completing the colouring and finishing work.

For generations, this structure supported the economy of the town. Handwoven khaddar and the traditional khes remained common household goods across rural Punjab.

The sector expanded during British colonial rule, when the growth of railway networks and the rise of market centres in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries opened wider commercial opportunities. Artisans from the area produced shawls, khaddar, blankets and other household textiles for sale in Multan, Khanewal and nearby towns.

Craft preserved after Partition

The migration of Hindu and Sikh traders after Partition caused a temporary setback for the industry. Even so, several local families, including people from the Jopo and Ansari communities, continued to preserve the craft and kept the tradition alive.

Local khaddar trader Muhammad Akbar Jopo said the industry had once shaped everyday life in the area.

"In earlier times, village women spun yarn while men wove fabric on handlooms. This tradition eventually became the identity of 'Makhdoom Pur Khaddar"

He said the town became especially recognised across Punjab for handwoven khaddar, shawls, traditional dress and embroidery.

Zafar Jopo, who has used khaddar since the early years after Pakistan’s independence, recalled that the cloth was especially popular in winter because it was warm, strong and durable.

"Even during the British era, handloom weaving played a major role in the local economy. Later, power looms and factory-made fabrics reduced the demand for traditional weaving, but many families remain connected to this craft," he said.

Veteran trader and longtime khaddar merchant Abdul Rehman, also known as Mana Ansari, said Makhdoom Pur’s khaddar was known for its simple but durable quality. He said it was usually made in white, off-white and other natural tones, and was widely used in daily life by farmers, landowners and working-class residents.

"The fabric was simple yet durable, usually produced in white, off-white, and other natural shades. Farmers, landowners, and working-class people relied on it for everyday use," he said.