KABUL (Amu tv): Booksellers in Kabul say Afghanistan’s book market is facing an unprecedented downturn, with dwindling sales, rising economic pressures and Taliban restrictions on publications leaving many unable to cover even their shop rents.
Several booksellers told Amu that the Taliban have banned and removed from shelves a number of titles that were once popular among young readers, a move they say has dealt a severe blow to the culture of reading in the capital.
“In the past four years since the Taliban takeover, the book market has completely lost its value,” said Mohammad Hassan Shariati, who runs a bookshop in Kabul. “Those few who still have the motivation to read no longer have the money to buy books.”
Another bookseller, Jawed, said customer numbers have dropped so sharply that many shopkeepers have been unable to pay rent for months.
University professors say multiple factors are driving the decline in reading, including Afghanistan’s worsening economy, the spread of social media, and what they describe as a weak reading culture.
Sarban Safdari, a university lecturer, said: “The difficult economic situation, the dominance of social media and the lack of strong cultural promotion of reading are discouraging young people from studying.”
Since retaking power in 2021, the Taliban have removed hundreds of titles from universities and banned the sale of many others in Kabul’s book markets. Booksellers warn the restrictions, combined with financial hardship, are pushing a generation further away from reading.
