Fading pages, rising screens

The reading habit has gradu­ally become rare in Pakistan in recent times, ranking among the lowest reading nations glob­ally. People spend more time on social media and streaming plat­forms than engaging with books or newspapers, resulting in a knowledge deficit in our soci­ety. This decline is primarily at­tributed to global digitalization, significantly impacting reading habits. Smartphones and smart screens have replaced tradition­al book reading, although audio book versions are now available. However, they lack the inherent benefits obtained through actu­al book reading. Despite digitali­zation’s influence, no significant steps have been taken to restore the lost value of print, leading to the rapid decline of print media. Many newspapers have ceased operations, and the remaining ones have reduced their page sizes. In the United States alone, approximately 2,200 local print newspapers closed between 2005 and 2021.

Developing a reading habit can occur through various means. It naturally arises as an inheri­tance from parents, significantly influencing a child’s reading be­havior. During childhood, access to interesting books can foster a lasting reading habit. Children are drawn to books with cap­tivating images, playing a cru­cial role in shaping their reading habits. Exploring books and gain­ing knowledge tends to cultivate a desire for continuous learning and reading, leading to the de­velopment of a consistent read­ing habit. Moreover, forming a habit of reading newspapers can be achieved by engaging with in­triguing, valuable, and informa­tive articles written by creative authors. A person introduced to the world of print media through an engaging article develops a lifelong habit of reading news­papers. Encouraging children to develop a reading habit can also be accomplished by providing them with magazines that align with their interests.

UBAID SAHIL

SWAT