Tag: Zubeida Mustafa

Zubeida Mustafa DO our children read books? In the absence of reliable statistics, one must turn to anecdotal evidence, which suggests that the book reading culture does not exist in Pakistan — be it among adults or children. I have yet to meet a publisher who is satisfied with his sales. School textbooks are the publishing industry’s bread and butter. Hence publishers do not focus much on storybooks for younger readers. It’s no wonder then that Pakistan has traditionally lacked a thriving children’s books industry. Popular authors such as Sufi Tabassum and poets like Allama Iqbal notwithstanding, the industry never picked up. Educators noticed this vacuum and individuals stepped in. The Bookgroup, Nigar Nazar of Gogi fame and the Alif Laila Book Bus Society emerged in the 1980s and...