Not so gloomy: Threatening challenges coming with new opportunities for publishers

Hoori Noori says in book consumption we are far behind Iran and India, let alone the developed world.

KARACHI: The representatives of the Pakistani and international book publishing industry discussed the new challenges that are threatening the survival of independent publishers and the opportunity they see in the changes world in a session in Karachi Literature Festival here on Saturday.

Hoori Noori who publishes some of the biggest authors like Mushtaq Yousfi from Karachi based Maktaba-e-Danyalo said that the problem of book publishers in Pakistan emanate from our low literacy rates and this is a vicious cycle which creates low book demands, small print runs, high prices yet low profits and discouraging people to buy books. She said in book consumption we are far behind even our neighbours like Iran and India, let alone the developed world.

Mark Parent who publishes from Paris and New York the French translations of the works of Pakistani authors like Manto said that his sales are badly affected by the image of Pakistan as a country associated with extremism and corruption. He said he was ready to work with Pakistani embassies for softer image should they decide to cooperate.

He said that earlier publishing houses used to merge to explore new opportunities in producing books but now some of the big bookstore chains have closed down in Europe and America while the others are merging in their efforts to survive.

He said that contrary to the fears of the Western publishers, their counter parts in Pakistan and India can produce books for the emerging demand of English language books – in India alone there are 300m people as potential users of these books.

Indian publisher from Calcutta Mandira Sen in an emotional tone said she was very pleasantly surprised to see and speak at the KLF as the scene here in the very vibrant Karachi is contrary to the impression about city she had made at home. She said there were emerging demands for books in English on Dillat studies and social sciences but the economic crisis in India was disturbing.

She said that the Indian parent has failed to understand the importance of reading materials for young boys and girls. But on the other hand positive signs include the new hotel chains putting books on display in their branches which will help promotion of books.

Masood Ashar’s NGO Mashal publisher on development issues from Lahore. He said that the biggest challenge was distribution of books when the bookseller demands unjustifiable high profits.

Hoori said in Pakistan even the law enforcers do not understand the importance of curbing piracy. She pointed out that the cost of any action against piracy is high for the publisher in Pakistan who has to pay the lawyers and the other costs are there as well.

The moderator Ameena Saiyid, MD OUP drew the attention that in case of piracy, the author is deprived of any royalty, the government from loses any taxes and the reader ends up in reading low quality books.

Italian translator Gioia Guerzoni said the translations do well in her country.