Sunday Book Bazar at Frere Hall lights Karachi on self-help basis

By Syed Khalid Mahmood 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Sunday Book Bazar at the historic Frere Hall has continued to light the city of Karachi for nearly three decades, albeit on self-help basis, as the participating booksellers and vendors are still needed to share the operating costs among themselves. 

During a candid conversation with the weekly event’s Coordinator, Manzar Saqib Abbas, on August 9, it was revealed that the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation, (KMC), has only been providing the space inside the premises of the Frere Hall but the onus of bearing all other expenditure related to the Sunday Book Bazar was solely on the shoulders of the participants. 

The Sunday Book Bazar, it may be recalled, was the brainchild of a man called Saif-ur-Rahman Grami, who worked as Director Culture of KMC those days. It was first organized in 1997 as a part of the country’s Golden Jubilee celebrations. 

It has weathered many storms over the years, staying afloat despite the indifferent attitude of the departmental authorities, who have generally been reluctant to support such initiatives. 

Although it has gone on to become a regular feature, primarily because people are still indeed interested in visiting the place for the sole purpose of buying books, the KMC seems to have made negligible efforts to improve it. 

The credit goes to the bookworms and the booksellers for keeping it alive. The KMC could be expected to do more, in their role of facilitators. Isn’t it their responsibility to actively promote such undertakings? 

Manzar Abbas brought to light the fact that the Commissioner office, in the past, had taken interest in adding value to the Sunday Book Fair by approving a grant for this purpose. 

Sadly, he added, the funds had not reached them and they were still awaiting fulfilment of the commitment made quite a few years ago. 

He disclosed that an average of 15 stalls is set up by the booksellers on every Sunday throughout the year. There are quite a few attractions for the visitors to the weekly open-air book bazar as there is ample parking available in the compound, free of charge, as it brings together readers, families, and collectors every Sunday from morning until evening. 

The towering structure of Frere Hall is located on Fatima Jinnah Road in Civil Lines. It is not far away from the Cantonment Railway Station and the roads in this area are mostly clear on Sundays.