The Decline of Rawalpindi’s Once-Bustling Book Stalls

Rawalpindi’s Saddar market book stalls, once a vibrant hub for literary enthusiasts, have declined due to digital media, economic pressures, and urban development projects.

on Jul 24, 2024

The Decline of Rawalpindi’s Once-Bustling Book Stalls

Kishwar Naheed, a prominent Urdu poet and writer from Pakistan, recalls with nostalgia the bustling book stalls of Rawalpindi’s Saddar market that were once a vibrant center for intellectual engagement. Naheed recalled the lively Sunday mornings spent browsing through books with literary greats like Zahid Dar and Intizar Hussain.

Rawalpindi’s open-air book stalls emerged in the 1980s and flourished until around 2010, according to Fareed-ul-Haq, a 69-year-old bookseller told Arab News, who has witnessed the market’s decline over the past decades. Once a hub of activity where visitors from other cities would spend hours searching for books, the stalls have diminished significantly.

The rise of digital media and online bookstores, along with economic pressures like rising rents and inflation, has contributed to the decline. Many people now prefer digital content over physical books, a shift highlighted by Noaman Sami, a media sciences student.

Muhammad Hameed Shahid, a noted Pakistani writer, attributes the decline to both economic challenges and urban development projects that have replaced book stalls with commercial and residential spaces. Despite these changes, Shahid emphasizes the cultural and literary importance of these stalls, which played a significant role in nurturing his career.

Today, the once-thriving book bazaar is nearly empty, with vendors like Haq lamenting the loss of what was once a bustling literary landmark.