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SRINAGAR: In a modest workshop filled with the fragrance of seasoned wood, 78-year-old Ghulam Mohammad Zaz continues a craft his family has preserved for eight generations — the making of the Kashmiri santoor.

Surrounded by tools that have outlived artisans, he works slowly, each strike and polish echoing centuries of tradition crafting the musical instrument.

“Seven generations have worked and I am the eighth; I have no guarantee anyone after me will do this work,” Zaz said softly, speaking in Kashmiri.

Once, several of his family members shared this craft in the heart of Kashmir’s main city Srinagar, in the Indian-administered part of the Himalayan territory.

Today, he is the last in the city to make the instruments by hand.

“If I tell anyone to make something, they won’t know what to do or how to make it,” said Zaz, who produces around eight to 10 instruments every year, selling for around 50,000 rupees ($565) each.

“It is not as simple as just picking some wood — one needs to find the right kind of wood.”

The santoor, a hundred-stringed zither-like instrument played with hammers, has long been central to Kashmir’s musical identity, giving the Muslim-majority region its cultural distinctiveness.

The contested Himalayan territory has been divided between India and Pakistan since independence from Britain in 1947.

Militants have fought Indian rule, demanding independence or a merger with Pakistan.

Tensions remain high between New Delhi and Islamabad.

In May, clashes between the nuclear-armed rivals sparked the worst fighting since 1999, killing more than 70 people in missile, drone and artillery exchanges.

MYSTICAL MUSIC

Historically, the santoor formed the backbone of ” Sufiana music,” Kashmir’s mystical music tradition, with its hypnotic and reverberating sound bringing tranquility.

“Musicians used to come from Iran to Kashmir, they used to play santoor and other instruments,” said Muzaffar Bhat, a music professor at a government college in Anantnag.

“They used to sing in Persian... we adapted the santoor from them and assimilated it into our music.”

The instrument received a new life in the 20th century.

In the 1950s, celebrated Indian musician Shivkumar Sharma — born in Jammu and Kashmir in 1938 — used the santoor to play classical music.

“Due to that, this became popularised in the classical circles throughout India,” Bhat said.

Suddenly, the santoor was no longer confined to Kashmiri sufiana gatherings — it had become a celebrated voice in Indian classical music.

Yet tradition faced challenges as Western instruments and global music trends began to overshadow local sounds.

“A lot of our traditional Kashmiri instruments became sidelined,” said Bhat.

For craftsmen like Zaz, this meant fewer patrons, fewer students, and the slow decline of a centuries-old family profession.

Zaz sells his instruments in Kashmir, but also receives orders from Europe and the Middle East.

But there is hope. A revival, however modest, is taking root.

“Since the last few years, a new trend has started,” Bhat said. “Our youngsters have started to learn our traditional instruments.”

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s bilateral trade with Central Asian states and Afghanistan increased to $2.41 billion during the last fiscal year, state-run Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) reported this week, citing the need for Islamabad to enhance regional connectivity for greater economic stability. 

Pakistan has undertaken steps in recent months to boost regional connectivity and trade links with Central Asian states and Afghanistan. Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif visited Azerbaijan and Tajikistan this year as Islamabad attempts to build trade corridors to ensure sustainable economic growth. 

Islamabad has also called for peace and stability in Afghanistan, stressing that law and order in the neighboring country will help regional trade flourish.

“Pakistan’s bilateral trade with Central Asian states, along with Afghanistan and Azerbaijan, surged to $2.41 billion in FY25, showing a sharp increase from $1.92 billion in the previous fiscal year,” the APP reported on Saturday. 

It said Pakistan’s exports to these countries surged to $1.77 billion while imports were recorded at $641 million. The state media said these numbers reflect a “clear recovery” from FY24, when exports were recorded at $1.34 billion and imports reached $581 million. 

“Afghanistan continues to dominate as Pakistan’s largest trading partner in the region, with exports rising to $1.39 billion and imports reaching $612.5 million,” the report said. 

It said Kazakhstan has also emerged as “a significant partner,” with exports from Pakistan increasing to $250.8 million. Uzbekistan followed with $91.4 million in exports and $20.3 million in imports in FY25.

Other countries such as Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan maintained “smaller yet consistent shares” in bilateral trade, the state media said. 

“The regional trade context highlights enormous untapped potential. Central Asian countries managed a massive $318.01 billion in global trade during FY24, yet Pakistan’s share in this remains under $0.5 billion,” the report said. 

It said the Pakistan-Central Asia transit trade stood at $410 million in fiscal year 2025, signaling growing reliance on Pakistan’s corridors for regional connectivity.

“Experts underline that while the current trade growth is encouraging, Pakistan’s real opportunity lies in establishing direct connectivity and strategic trade routes with the Central Asian bloc,” the report concluded. 

Ever since it almost defaulted on its loans in June 2023, Pakistan has sought to establish closer economic ties with regional countries. Sharif established the Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC) in 2023 to fast-track decisions related to investment in priority sectors such as IT, minerals, agriculture, livestock and tourism, among others.