KARACHI, Dec 7: The Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association (PPBA) has organised a five-day international book fair in collaboration with the National Book Foundation (NBF).

According to the association’s Chairman Khalid Aziz, the Second Karachi International Book Fair will commence on December 13 in the two newly developed halls at the Karachi Expo Centre. About 225 stands will be available to local and foreign booksellers and publishers.

In the first fair, held about a year back, 65 leading Pakistani and international publishers and booksellers had taken part and an Indian scholar, Dr Romila Thapar, had also delivered a special lecture on India’s pre-independence history.

This year, Sweden-based Pakistani professor of political science, Ishtiaq Ahmed, has been invited from the Stockholm University to deliver the key note speech.

Among the other features of the event are speaking corner for scholars and literary personalities and activities for children.

Besides around 60 booksellers and publishers from India, UK, USA, Malaysia, Singapore and Greece, 140 from around the country are setting up their stalls in the upcoming fair to offer 20 per cent or more discount on their books.

The organisers said that the objective for holding the international book fair was to promote education and knowledge by making books available to students, educationists and other book-lovers.

The books on display included a variety of children’s books, textbooks and research work, as well as a collection of books on medicines, computer science, law, religion, etc.

Replying to a question, Mr Aziz said that low-cost textbooks and other books could be published and marketed in Pakistan provided that import duty and other taxes on printing paper were removed.