[The author had made a trip to Karachi in April, 2006]
A small, dark, moldy shop, it was in Saddar - across the street from De Paris, my 273-rupees-a-day hotel in Karachi. Despite its KFC, Pizza Hut and Atrium Mall, Saddar had the appearance of an oriental bazaar. All the jewelry stores were lined on one street; garment shops in the other and photo studios in yet another. The pavements were taken over by handsome Afghani beggars in greasy black shalwar-kameeze. A busy avenue choked with colorful buses — so unique of Pakistan -- sliced through the heart of the bazaar, dividing it into two neat halves.
The Discovery
I had chanced upon it while searching for an inexpensive eatery in the merciless afternoon heat of Karachi. An old man, in a dark-brown formal suit, without a tie, was sitting in a wooden chair. Several stacks of old books were piled up carelessly on his desk, in the book shelves that hid the walls, and on the floor.
It was inviting and the gentleman nodded at me to step in. The eyes blinked as they adjusted to the gloominess of a sole electric bulb glowing faintly from the ceiling. The air, wet with the musty smell of books, dust and dead insects, was cool. I was pleased. Second hand bookshops are forever pregnant with the joyful expectation of spotting books whose existence one was never aware of but which happened to be exactly the very books that one had wanted all his life.
But alas, this was not that kind of establishment. The seemingly old books, suitably torn, were not very old. Most disappointingly, there were thick stacks of Danielle Steels and Robert Ludlums toppling over one another.
The Dejection
Pakistan was disappointing. It was my fifth day in the country and I failed to find even a single decent bookshop. A well-meaning acquaintance had suggested visiting Urdu Bazaar but that was cluttered with unhappy rubbles of pirated Sidney Sheldons and John Grishams, apart from xeroxed school books!
Nobody reads in Pakistan, or so it seemed. Even the newspapers were not easily accessible and if one did manage to spot them in the stalls, they were so expensively priced that it was better to read on internet.
Article comments
1 - Pakistan Paindabad
Come On, Let’s Celebrate Pakistan in 2007
To welcome the New Year, Pakistan Paindabad invites readers to share their memories of the fabled canal of Lahore.
What is the magic behind Lahore’s legend? After all, money bag Karachi is Pakistan’s most cosmopolitan city. Rugged Peshawar is the most exotic. Artificial Islamabad is the most beautiful. Lahore is not even the most historic. Small town Taxila takes the cake with its Buddhist ruins.
Yet, Lahore Lahore hai " the stuff passions, poetries, and evenings are made of. And then there is the canal.
Originally built by the Mughals in 1861, later revived by the British, this 82-kilometer-long, tree-lined canal cut its way through the heart of Lahore - meandering through posh colonies, smooth highways, famous colleges, placid student hostels and cheery cricket grounds.
In summers, the canal tempts people to its cool water. In winters, the same people return to its banks to savor the warm sun.
To welcome the New Year, Pakistan Paindabad invites readers to share their memories, past or present, linked with this fabled canal. The musings or commentaries can be one paragraph or even one page long. Please e-mail your canal moments to Pakistan Paindabad.
Let’s celebrate Pakistan in 2007.
2 - Noumaan
It is quite difficult for Pakistanis to read any blog hosted on Google's Blog hosting service, BlogSpot.
3 - Ameer Hamza
I was unable to open the link of Pakistan Paindabad for some unknown reason. Let me know if the site is not up on the net. Or is there any other problem.
4 - Mayank Austen Soofi
Ameer, it appears Pakistan Government has reservations about Pakistan Paindabad. I have received complaints from many readers in Pakistan. It is ironic since this site works to highlight the better side of Pakistan.
5 - Mayank Austen Soofi
Except Pakistan, the website Pakistan Paindabad is being accessed in other parts of the world.
6 - gumshuda
There are some great bookstores in Karachi....
If you want to look at old books, there is a place near Chadi lane in old karachi...for good books in Saddar there are so many like thomas and thomas and city press book shop....In Urdu bazar u can go to Welcome book port....
U just dont know karachi :-)
7 - Mayank Austen Soofi
Yes, gumshuda. I just don't know Karachi! I'm glad to know that Karachi has good bookshops.
8 - hiba
hi
i have a big problen a want a harry potter novel but in home delivery can u tell where did i get number of that which delivery harry potter novel?
plz reply me as soon as posible