August 13, 2023
2 mins read

30% of booksellers in Afghanistan shut business

Sharifullah, a bookseller said, “There are issues because of the lack of female students’ presence in the universities. This issue also affects the book business.”…reports Asian Lite News

The commission to assess the problems of booksellers has revealed that 30 per cent of booksellers in Afghanistan have stopped their business due to a lack of a good market, Afghanistan-based Tolo News reported.

Speaking to Tolo News, Abdul Wodod Mukhtarzada, a member of the commission, said that the booksellers have also complained about high taxes which are difficult to pay as their business has witnessed a decline.

Mukhtarzada said, “We used to sell more than 500 books and we had 200 librarians here but I can say now that their number has dropped significantly.” Several booksellers expressed concern that book reading culture has faded in Afghanistan.

Sharifullah, a bookseller said, “There are issues because of the lack of female students’ presence in the universities. This issue also affects the book business.”

Mansour Qazizada, a bookseller, stressed that the market is down and people lack the capacity to buy. He also spoke about various taxes that the booksellers need to pay.

Qazizada said, “You know that the market is down and the people lack the capacity to purchase books. Also, there are many types of taxes and the Kabul municipality sends their representatives.”

Meanwhile, the Taliban-led Ministry of Information and Culture said that efforts were being made to pardon the taxes of the libraries to support the book markets in Afghanistan, according to the report.

Mahajar Farahi, deputy minister of Taliban-led Information and Culture for publications, said, “We are trying to waive taxes on books and thus we can implement a tradition of book reading. We have held various exhibitions.”

Earlier this week, a group of young people in Kabul organised the “Smart Way” book display to strengthen the reading culture in Afghanistan according to Tolo News report.

By implementing such initiatives, young people claimed they want to inspire residents, particularly other young people, to read literature, as the Taliban has already put strict restrictions on the education of young girls and women in Afghanistan.

“We held it to create a culture for the youth of our society to read books, books are entertainment for them,” an organizer, Sharifa Hesar said, according to Tolo News.

“The purpose of holding this exhibition is to strengthen the culture of reading among young people,” said Farhad Malik Zada, an organizer.

Speaking to Tolo News, several expo attendees said that the reasons why people don’t study enough are related to the economy, a lack of employment opportunities, and a high usage of social media. Visitors, however, claimed that organising such displays was successful in promoting reading culture.

The stagnation of the book-selling business over the past two years has alarmed booksellers in Kabul and the surrounding regions of Afghanistan, who have regularly expressed their concern, according to Tolo News. (ANI)

ALSO READ-Another big blow to Imran Khan

Previous Story

President approves Kakar’s appointment as caretaker PM

Next Story

16 foreign nationals in Afghanistan’s prisons, Taliban confirms

Latest from -Top News

‘Kill and Dump’ Haunts Balochistan Again

The latest killings have reignited accusations of extrajudicial executions and the use of counterterrorism laws to cover up custodial deaths in Balochistan….reports Asian Lite News Concerns have deepened across Balochistan following the

‘ASEAN Expands, But Keeps Its Soul’

Malaysian Foreign Minister Mohamad Hasan urged ASEAN to uphold its unity and strategic resolve amid intensifying geopolitical tensions and mounting external pressures…reports Asian Lite News Consensus and inclusivity will remain the cornerstones

Bangladesh bends to beat Trump’s blow

Dhaka seeks compromise as Trump’s 35% tariff looms large over key exports; Washington urges worker protections, factory relocation to US…reports Asian Lite News Bangladesh has opened the second round of critical trade

China seethes as US lands F-35s in PH

As US F-35 jets land in the Philippines for the first time, Manila cements its frontline role in Washington’s power play against rising China….reports Asian Lite News The Philippines is rapidly cementing
Go toTop

Don't Miss

EU, Central Asian nations call for inclusive govt in Afghanistan

The participants also reaffirmed EU and Central Asia cooperation in

America’s Failed Strategy in Afghanistan

US continues to depend on Pakistan, with a hope that