LAHORE: The 28th Lahore International Book Fair-2014 has brought together top publishers from home and abroad at the Expo Centre, Johar Town. The fair offers a large variety of books – both modern, rare and antique, on several subjects by celebrated writers.

However, the visitors’ attendance remained thin on Wednesday, the first day of the five-day event.

Renowned publishers, including Oxford University Press, Vanguard, Readings and Turkey’s Harmony Publications, offer a massive range of books on reasonable discounts.

A number of visitors, who Dawn talked to, said book fairs were like a fresh breath in a time when the media was reporting more on crime and violence than literature. They said the book fairs needed to be held regularly and in all major cities because such events attracted masses.

Punjab Archives and Libraries Secretary Oriya Maqbool Jan was among the visitors. He said that book reading had witnessed a downward trend over the years mainly because of the education system, which, according to him, “promotes tunnel vision instead of creative thinking among the people”. He said the education system that encourages learning and the discovery of knowledge other than textbooks rote learning could help promote book reading.

He refuted the argument that digital technology had replaced books, saying that the habit of reading had diminished in Pakistani society much before the digital technology became handy. At global level, he said, some three million copies of the Harry Potter series were sold as soon as they were launched.

Stating that the book fair serve as stimuli to promote book reading, Mr Jan said no book was costlier than a large family pizza. He regretted that some 171 libraries in Punjab were attracting visitors far less than their capacity. He held the ghost of libraries responsible for failing to attract visitors.

“Why libraries cannot be well-lit and air-conditioned as shoe and department stores?” he said.

Mr Jan supported mother languages as the medium of education, adding that Urdu language should be made an official language. “The bureaucracy does not write novels or plays but decisions and those should be written in the language that people can read and understand,” he added.

Turkey’s Harmony Publications director Yakup On said the arrangements of the book fair were better than last year. He has set up the stall for the third consecutive time.

About the attendance, Mr On said the final answer to people’s response could be given on Saturday and Sunday. He said the Harmony Publications had some 120 titles on Islamic, cultural and children books. He said some 50 titles were translations from Turkish books.

“We come here every year, because our Pakistani brothers attract us to be here,” he said.

He knows that besides books, Turkish soap operas with Urdu dubbing are also popular in Pakistan.

Those plays only minutely represent the Turkish culture, he said.

Those fond of literary and rare books were seen visiting the Siddiqui Rare and Antique Books stall.

Owner Haroon Siddiqui told Dawn that there was a good response of people even on the first day. He said that he was the only bookseller in Lahore, who had a collection of antique books. He showed a complete set of Mark Twain’s books with the printed signature of the author. The 12-volume set was published in 1900.

How much is it?

“Rs50,000,” he said.

Other than Mark Twain’s books, he also has the complete works of Tennyson having original gold-plated cover. “The price ranges from $500 to 550,” he said.

Similarly, Mr Siddiqui has a large-size book, which is a tribute to legend boxer Muhammad Ali. The well-cased Muhammad Ali’s biography “GOAT (Greatest of All Time) – A Tribute to Muhammad Ali” is the rare ‘Publisher’s Not for Sale’ sample. Its price is Rs150,000.

“I’ve almost 35,000 books, of them 25 pc are rare books,” he said.

He said that he had established his stall at the book fair to raise awareness among the masses about the availability of rare and antique books in Lahore. “I’ve been in this business for the past 23 years,” he said. His father Qamarul Islam Siddiqui had started this business way back in 1955.

At Khalid Book Depot, All Pakistan Anjuman-i-Tajraan president Khalid Pervaiz said the people’s buying capacity had diminished. He demanded that the government allow duty-free papers so that low cost books could be provided to masses.