KARACHI, Oct 22: After its failure to attract booksellers and booklovers at its Sunday weekly old books’ bazaar at Baradari near the Polo Ground, the Karachi City District Government has decided to shift the bazaar back to Frere Hall from next Sunday, official sources said on Monday.

The defunct Karachi Metropolitan Corporation had in February started weekly old books’ bazaar on Sundays at Frere Hall. The old books’ bazaar at this venue attracted a large number of people, and encouraged by the good response from buyers many booksellers set up their stalls here. At one time as many as 52 stalls were set up at the book bazaar at Frere Hall. A large number of men, women and children regularly visited the weekly exhibition.

But in May the KMC authorities shifted the venue of the old books’ bazaar to Baradari without giving any reason. The decision was widely criticized by the public and booksellers, saying Baradari was away from bus routes, so the number of visitors went on to decline at the new venue. Furthermore, at baradari Rs4 a person was charged as entree fee and parking fee for vehicles at the rate of Rs10 a car and Rs5 a motorcycle.

“We visited the bazaar at Frere Hall to buy old books at cheaper prices, but at Baradari we had to pay money to enter the bazaar as well as parking fees for vehicles, whether we bought any book or not,” said a group of booklovers.

Because of these reasons the number of stalls at Baradari went on shrinking. On last Sunday, Oct 21, there were only 10 stalls at the bazaar. The number of visitors was also very thin.

“At Baradari the sales were so low that we could not even recover the money we spent on stall fee, transportation charges and overhead costs, let alone make a profit,” booksellers said.

The City Nazim, Naimatullah Khan, took personal interest in the matter and decided to shift the venue to Frere Hall, said District Officer (Culture and Sports), Community Development Department of the City Government, Saifur Rahman Grami.

Talking to APP on Monday, he said now the City government had decided to organize cultural and literary functions at the site of the exhibition.

“We would hold fortnightly literary meetings such as book launching, seminars on literature and similar functions,” he said.—APP