Pakistani barber Ali Abbas uses an odd variety of instruments to perform his art, such as blowtorches, meat cleavers, and even broken glass, in attempts to stay ahead of the competition.

Customers are flocking to Abbas' shop in the eastern city of Lahore, where his fringe style is becoming popular in the conservative country.

During a traditional haircut, Abbas would use a blowtorch to remove a small amount of hair from the top.

He adds textures with a cleaver and butcher's block, while sometimes thinning out a thicker mane with broken glass.

"I decided to do something new and extraordinary to attract more customers," Abbas told AFP.

"At first, I used it on synthetic hair, and then, after some practise, I tried using it on a client, and sort of liked it."

Since first revealing his look in 2016, and after resolving consumer concerns, he claims the unorthodox approach has been a success.

Since then, his fame has increased, resulting in television appearances and fashion shoots.

"There was a very positive feedback from my customers, who were very frightened at first," said Abbas, whose quirky demeanor and scruffy, frizzy hair give him the appearance of a mad scientist.

Abbas charges 2,000 rupees ($13) for the unconventional procedure, or 1,000 rupees for a standard scissors trim.

"I'm feeling very content and relaxed," Ali Saqlain said as the barber applied a blowtorch to his scalp.

Abbas claims to have a huge number of female clients, for whom he charges an additional 500 rupees for extra style.

"I had my hair cut three times at this salon," Arooj Bhatti said.

"I like it done with a cleaver so my hair grows rapidly after that," she said.