ISLAMABAD, April 18: The school books published by Punjab Text Book Board (PTBB) are not available in the markets of the twin cities of Rawalpindi and Islamabad.

The students, preparing to join new classes after passing the annual exams, are facing problems owing to shortage of books.

Even at Urdu Bazaar, the hub of textbook business in Rawalpindi, the students are turned away by shopkeepers, who said they had no books to sell. The shopkeepers have pasted notices at their shops regarding unavailability of textbooks.

A similar situation is being faced by students at Aabpara, Super Market and other bazaars of the capital.

Meanwhile, the PTBB chairperson, Fauzia Saleemi, said the textbooks had been printed and dispatched to markets across the country. A committee has also been set up to receive and process complaints about the shortage of books in the country, she added.

However, a wholesale dealer of textbooks said he did not receive the first consignment of the newly-published textbooks.—APP