Leather and finished leather goods form a crucial part of Pakistan's export industry.
The largest leather production is footwear manufacturing, which is concentrated mainly in the Punjab region and around Karachi.
Although most of Pakistan's leather goods are manufactured for export, the skills of the traditional craftsmen have survived. In the poorer areas, handicrafts are decorative and functional. In many villages, a water carrier made out of leather, known as a mashak, is still used.
Only recently have cooking utensils made out of local rock given way to modern cook ware in the northern areas.
The cooking utensils of the Wakhi tribe are carved out of stone and engraved with traditional motifs. Each region has its own distinct crafts, determined by the climate and raw materials. The arrival of Islam in northern Pakistan saw traditional craftsmen's skills incorporated into religious artefacts and buildings.
Some of the best examples of woodcraft can be seen in the carved doors and columns of mosques.
