Over 200,000 Books Sold at Punjab University’s Record-Breaking Three-Day Book Fair
Thousands of visitors bought more than 200,000 books at the PU book fair, Punjab University’s three-day event in Lahore, setting a new record in the fair’s history, the Express Tribune reported. Organisers billed the event as the largest book fair in Pakistan.
Sales gathered pace each day. More than 45,000 books sold on the opening day, 65,000 on the second day and over 90,000 on the closing day, according to a statement issued by the university.
PU book fair draws students, writers and families
A large number of students and teachers from universities, schools and colleges attended the fair. Politicians, civil servants, lawyers, poets and writers also browsed the stalls, along with families. Persons with disabilities were among the visitors, the statement said.
PU Vice Chancellor Dr Muhammad Ali said other universities should take similar steps to promote reading among students. As part of the fair, a book launch ceremony for former inspector general of police Zulfiqar Ahmad Cheema was also organised.
Why the record matters for reading culture in Pakistan
Book fairs remain one of the few large public events in Pakistan built entirely around reading. For publishers, they offer direct access to buyers at a time when bookshops have thinned out in most cities. For readers, they offer discounts and a range of titles that are hard to find under one roof elsewhere.
Lahore has long been the centre of this tradition. The city hosts some of the country’s oldest publishing houses and has a history of literary gatherings that stretch back decades. A record turnout at the PU book fair suggests that appetite for printed books is holding up, even as screens dominate daily reading habits.
The timing is notable. Cultural events in the capital region have picked up pace this month. An exhibition by Bangladeshi artist Abdus Sattar opened at an Islamabad art gallery this week, drawing art lovers to the capital. Together, the two events point to a busy season for Pakistan’s cultural calendar.
Reading habits among the young remain a concern for educators. Students face rising education costs, and schools in remote districts still struggle with basic supplies — earlier this month, primary students in Bajaur waited for textbooks at the start of term. Against that backdrop, a university-led fair that puts affordable books directly into students’ hands carries weight beyond the sales figures.
The literary world also had global news this month, with Anne Carson winning the 2026 Nobel Prize in Literature. For Pakistani readers, the PU fair offered a local stage for the same impulse: celebrating the written word.
What happens next
The vice chancellor’s call for other universities to copy the model will be the test of whether this record becomes a trend. If more campuses organise fairs of similar scale, publishers could gain a reliable annual circuit for reaching young readers across Punjab and beyond.
When was the PU book fair held?
The three-day fair concluded this week, with the record sales figures announced on Sunday, October 18, 2026.
How many books were sold at the PU book fair?
More than 200,000 books were sold: 45,000 on day one, 65,000 on day two and over 90,000 on day three.
What record did the PU book fair set?
It set a new record for the most books sold in the event’s history, according to the university’s statement.
