KARACHI: After hosting different events, gigs and workshops for about a year and a half, Kitab Ghar — one of the few community spaces in Karachi open to everyone — has said it will close on May 31.

In a post on Instagram, the team behind the venue in PECHS said that rising rents in the area, caused by recent changes and development, had made it too expensive for them to continue.

They said they understood how important the space was for visitors and for the community built around it, and added that they were not sharing the news “lightly”.

Over the past 18 months, they said, the space had given people a place to enjoy themselves, meet others, create art and discuss ideas. They added that they would have liked to carry on, but were being forced to close.

“If you feel the need for a place like Kitab Ghar, we need your support even more,” the team said. They added that they hope to move to a new location and keep serving the city, but cannot afford it at the moment.

They said they have started a fundraiser with a target of Rs500,000 to help find and set up a new Kitab Ghar in Karachi.

Published in Dawn, April 30th, 2026