By Ali Khalid
Introduction
Pakistan has a very diverse culture. Wherever you go, you will find different traditions and different languages. Mostly, the people in Pakistan communicate in Urdu because it is the national language of Pakistan. However, with the growing global inclination toward English, people in Pakistan these days are learning English so that they may also excel in their careers and academically.
The increasing attention of people toward English has compelled the booksellers in Pakistan to provide English books in their stores and now you can easily find English books in Pakistan. In some of the major cities, you can find English language books at almost every bookshop.
In Pakistan, most of the book sellers have a website where you can buy books online. Here is a quick look at some of the most well-known bookstores in Pakistan that stock a good range of books in English.
1. Bookstores
(a) Liberty Books
http://www.libertybooks.com
Liberty Books are the main booksellers of Karachi, Sindh. There are more than five outlets of Liberty Books in Karachi, and they have some more bookshops in other cities as well.
Liberty Books is a complete online store for books too. You can find almost any book in their database. They have the latest books, novels, books for learning English, magazines, and books for kids. The prices of these books vary from Rs. 500 ($4) to Rs. 5000 ($42). They deal in only English books.
(b) FerozSons
http://www.ferozsons.com.pk
FerozSons is the largest bookstore chain in Pakistan; they have their outlets in almost all major cities. In some big cities like Lahore, they have more than one bookstore. They have all the books that you can think of, whether it is some Sidney Sheldon novel or a biography of some famous person.
Ferozsons understand that people want to learn English and know how to cater to this consumer need. At most of the Ferozsons outlets, you can find a separate section for ESL books.
You can buy books from the FerozSons website as well.
(c) Saeed Book Bank
http://saeedbookbank.com
Saeed Book Bank’s bookshops are not bookshops; they are showrooms — huge and extravagant showrooms. Saeed Book Bank has only three outlets in Pakistan but all are big. Their showroom in Islamabad has more than 200,000 books in total.
Saeed Book Bank also deal online. Saeed Book Bank is to Pakistan what Amazon.com's bookshop is to the world.
(d) Oxford University Press
http://www.oup.com.pk/
Famous worldwide, Oxford University Press (OUP) is a department of Oxford University. You can find books of various genres here, such as ELT books, academic books, and encyclopedias. You might not have a good chance of finding storybooks, novels, and similar genres, but there are numerous books that can help teachers and students to learn English very well.
With more than 12 shops in Pakistan, OUP is not only a good online store but also a good bookstore to visit in person.
(e) Vanguard Books
http://www.vanguardbooks.com
Vanguard is a publishing house as well as a bookstore. They have been in the market in Pakistan since 1977 and they are one of the major publishers, importers, and distributors of books in Pakistan.
Apart from being an online store, they have eight outlets in three major cities of Pakistan.
(f) Allied Book Company
http://alliedbook.com/default.asp
Allied Book Company has two offices in Pakistan. They deal mainly in academic books, across all subjects, but also offer some of the most beautiful English literature books. If you are in Pakistan, you can also order books online.
2. Online Bookshops
786 Books
http://www.786books.com
786 Books is a growing online bookshop in Pakistan. 786 Books.com sells books in both Urdu and English. They do not yet have such a wide range of books, but you can find some good books in and about English. The books are mostly priced in US dollars, and you can find books ranging from $5 to $50. 786 Books.com ships books to anywhere in the world.
3. Local Book Shops
Each area or city in Pakistan has its own famous bookshops. They do not usually have multiple stores, but they can still serve you well if you want to find a bestseller.
Karachi: If you are in Karachi, Sindh Alternate bookshop can be a good choice to find some good English books. Almas Book House and Aziz Book Center are two other very famous bookshops in the town.
Lahore: The first place a Lahorite would go to buy books is Ilmibooks; they are the largest distributors of books in Lahore, dealing mainly in academic books; they also have learning English books, such as the ESOL course books and ESL books. Bookgallery, Book Vision publishing, and Classic Bookshop are some other good place to find books in Lahore.
Islamabad: For people in Islamabad, Saeed Book Bank can serve all your requirements regarding books. However, Peer Book Center, The London Book Co, and The Book Center can also be a good place for books in Islamabad.