Drop in Readers Club’s enrollment reflects decline in reading habits

Staff Report

ISLAMABAD: Readers Club’s enrollment has dropped to 31 percent as compared to the fiscal year 2019-20 which reflects a decline in reading habit among Pakistanis.
The club has enrolled some 44,684 members during during the last three years.
As per official data, out of total enrolled, some 26,706 members were registered during
the fiscal year 2018-19, 10,634 in 2019-20 and 7,344 in 2020-21.
The data shows the citizens of Islamabad have taken the lead when compared with the other big cities of the country followed by Quetta.
Out of enrolled 7,344 in year 2020-21, 1700 members belong to Islamabad. The rest of the members are, 600 from Lahore, 525 Karachi, 500 Peshawar, 750 Quetta, 200 each from Gilgit, Sukkur and Abbotabad, 225 Muzaffarabad, 250 Multan and 175 each from Hunza, Sakrdu, Hyderabad and Larakana.
Only Pakistani residents could become the members of the Readers Club and a member of the club is entitled to buy books of his/her choice at 50% discount subject to a maximum ceiling of Rs.6000 during a financial year, from the bookshops on its panel.