Mumbai terror attack shadow over Karachi book festival

KARACHI: The prevailing tension between New Delhi and Islamabad post Mumbai attacks has its shadow over the fourth Karachi international book fair with 25 of the 28 Indian publishers slated to put up a show opting out of it.  

"I guess given the current state of relations between the two countries, this was expected. But we are disappointed as India is one of the biggest publishing and book markets in Asia," Javed Akhtar, managing director of national book foundation said.
 
Organisers said some 28 publishers from India had shown their intention to attend the fair but only three showed up.
  
"Only three have come from India two of them have head offices in New Delhi while the third one is from University of Kashmir, Srinagar.
 
More than 100 publishers from Pakistan and some other countries are taking part in the book fair, he said.
 
Incidentally some books brought by the University were not cleared by authorities at the airport.