In this modern age of internet, there is a general impression that people, especially the youth, have lost their love for books, but the book fair at the Karachi Expo Center from December 12 tells a different story.
According to those who set up stalls in the book fair, there has been a huge increase in the interest of reading books among the youth and this can be confirmed by seeing the enthusiasm of the youth who come to the fair.
325 stalls of local and foreign publishers have been set up in the 19th Karachi International Book Fair from December 12 to December 16 at the Karachi Expo Center.
Organized by the Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association, this book fair held every year since 2005 has the honor of being the largest trade fair of Pakistan.
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Many types of books including religious books, children’s literature, poetry and fiction are kept at the book stalls set up in the five-day book fair.
7500 books have been kept at the stall of Children Publication of Karachi along with many other stalls in the fair.
According to Tahir Akhtar, leader of Children’s Publication, there is innovation in Karachi International Book Fair every year. Last year Karachi International Book Fair was attended by 1 million people and this year it is likely to increase manifold.
Talking to Independent Urdu, Tahir Akhtar said: ‘We have been participating in this World Book Fair for the last 19 years. From religious books to children’s literature, all kinds of books are bought and read in this fair.
It is a common perception that people have lost their love for reading books because of the Internet, but this is not the case at all, rather people’s love for reading books is increasing. People buy and read all kinds of books.’
Junaid Ali, a book lover from Karachi, has been buying books by participating in the Karachi International Book Fair for the past 10 years.
In a conversation with Independent Urdu, Junaid Ali said: ‘The impression of not reading books because of mobile phones or tablets is wrong, people still read books with passion, but now instead of paper books, soft copies of books are on phones or tablets. There is a tendency to read. There are many reasons for this, like books being expensive and people prefer to read soft books instead of carrying books with them all the time.’
However, he said that ‘this does not mean at all that people’s interest in reading books has decreased or ended.’
Karachi International Book Fair provides a common platform for publishers, distributors, domestic and foreign publishers, librarians and consumers. The number of participants in this fair is increasing every year.
