The work of 16 major calligraphers from Pakistan will be displayed in the exhibition.

Pakistan is one of the major centers of calligraphy in the Islamic world. It has produced calligraphers of great repute.

Today, one of the most important artists of Pakistan is Khattatul Haram Alnabavi Alsharif, Shafiquzzaman.

He was selected for the coveted position of Khattatul Haram 20 years ago through an open contest in which thousands of artists from all over the world participated.

Arabic language and its script arrived in areas now comprising Pakistan in 712 AD. Since then, for over 13 centuries the tradition of calligraphy has been carefully fostered, nurtured and passed on to younger generations as a sacred gift and the most prominent ingredient in the cultural identity of the country.

In older times Lahore, Multan, Thatta and Peshawar were great centers of Arabic calligraphy in Pakistan. Now Karachi with its unique style has been added to the list of these local centers.

Spiritual values created by traditional calligraphy (done with pen/reed) deeply affected the leading painters of Pakistan.

A large number of pioneer painters of the country who for a large part of their artistic life had not paid attention to Arabic calligraphy turned to it with enthusiasm.