KARACHI, April 2: With general elections just 38 days away, printers expecting a rush in the market after the finalisation of candidates are already disappointed, stating that there’s barely any business in sight.

People associated with the panaflex banner business were particularly perturbed as they have yet to receive orders from the election contestants, Dawn has learnt.

While recalling the level of activity before 2008 elections, they felt the upcoming elections may not match the last exercise at least in terms of spending on panaflex banners, hoarding, posters etc.

Panaflex machine owners counted many reasons for dullness so far in the market. At Burnes Road, an operator said that the orders may pour in larger numbers after completion of nomination process and the Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) gives go ahead to the candidates.

Another reason perhaps was the size specification laid down in the code of conduct for contesting candidates by the Election Commission, he said. He said that there is a ban on big hoarding like sizes (10ftx20ft), (15ftx45ft) and (20ftx60ft). The approved sizes are 2ftx3ft, 3ftx9ft and 3ftx5ft, he added.

It is also interesting that the rates of preparing panaflex display have reduced since last elections. For example, a panaflex banner of 2ftx3ft will cost Rs72 now as compared to rate of Rs90 in 2008. The price of size 3ftx9ft and 3ftx5ft is Rs324 and Rs180 as compared to Rs405 and Rs225 in 2008 respectively.

“Our work got a massive boost when the late Benazir Bhutto landed in Pakistan,” he said, while hoping to get sizable orders just 10-15 days ahead of elections. He said that in Karachi around 300-350 panaflex business operators exist.

M Altamash Feroz, proprietor, Al Baqi Graphics at Burns Road said, “We have not received any election related work yet.”

“We were flooded with orders two months prior to 2008 elections,” he recalled.

In 2008, people hailing from Punjab, Balochistan and interior Sindh had rented flats and apartments in Karachi and had prepared ready stocks of panaflex hoarding and banners and other election related items. However, that is not the case this time around.

He said one of the reasons of lack of interest from up country people is the setting up and expansion of panaflex business in interior Sindh, Balochistan etc.

He linked the decline in printing cost to growing competition in the industry. “The rate of printing now hovers between Rs11-12 per square foot as compared to Rs15-20 per sq ft prevailing in 2008 elections due to intense competition among panaflex operators,” he said.

Altamash said he cannot give the exact number of panaflex operators in Karachi and even on total business volume through sale of election items. However, he said one can gauge from the current 26 operators in Burns Road, Saddar and Pakistan Chowk area as compared to only three in 2008.

He was of the view that another reason of slowdown in panaflex activities was no competition of a ruling party in Karachi with any other political party as its many candidates had confirmed seats.

Mushtaq Khan, Owner of Mushtaq Brothers at Al Karam Square Liaquatabad said there were nil orders so far relating to any election campaign publicity. “We hope to get the orders from next week,” he said.