The trickle-down effects of Sialkot International Airport Limited (SIAL) and the retail industry boom in Sialkot – the city of Iqbal – also known for its industrial prowess in producing world-class sports goods and surgical instruments, have led to a profound transformation in the last two decades.

From the inception of SIAL in 2007 to the emergence of Air Sial and a booming retail industry, the city’s landscape and ethos have evolved. Economic prosperity has driven industrial growth, attracting a diverse workforce from all over the country, altering the work landscape. Concurrently, shopping malls have replaced traditional markets, altering the shopping experience and ensuring greater inclusivity of women in the retail workforce. However, amid this transformation, the city also grapples with a noticeable absence – the dearth of bookstores and the pursuit of literary and intellectual endeavours.

Much has been written about Sial as a landmark mega project built entirely by the local business community under the aegis of the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry. It is often cited as a shining example of the power of collective effort by civil society in the absence of official patronage and as an example for other sectors and cities to follow.

The success of SIAL led to the launch of Sialkot’s own airline, Air Sial. Initially launched to fill the gap left by the closing down of a major private domestic airline and the long-standing problems plaguing the national carrier, it is now consistently ranked highly by passengers for its flight service and quality.

From its inauguration in November 2007, the impact of the airport has been far-reaching, not just in terms of financial opportunities but in its wider social and cultural implications. Firstly, like any other airport, it led to the creation of jobs. Airports require a diverse workforce, from planners and engineers to construction workers and support staff for ground handling, car parking, luggage wrapping, luggage scanning, passenger facilitation and air traffic control. As envisioned by the Board of Directors of SIAL, residents of the surrounding areas were prioritised for job opportunities and this generated employment that has contributed significantly to economic development in the region.

According to the Sialkot Chamber of Commerce and Industry, the cargo-heavy airport has played an instrumental role in the growth of Sialkot’s sports and surgical goods industry and led to the emergence of other industries that had a nominal presence before; notably the garment industry, which has witnessed an unprecedented boom.

Small wonder then, that the per capita income in most parts of Sialkot is much higher than the national average, making it an attractive destination for people in search of better living standards. The economic magnetism of the city has led to massive inward migration bringing about a significant shift in the workforce. Currently, many Hindus from Sindh are employed in the garment industry and the presence of better-paying jobs has left a vacuum in traditional domains, such as domestic help and masonry – and which is now being filled by migrant workers from South and Central Punjab and even KPK.

The proliferation of major shopping malls has also changed the cityscape. Once known for its bustling markets and dusty bazaars with a disproportionate representation of men, Sialkot has embraced the concept of modern shopping malls with popular brands, food chains and swanky eateries dotting the landscape. The malls are centred exclusively around the Cantonment area where previously Saddar Bazaar, with its imposing clock tower, was the designated commercial area. The Mall of Sialkot, V Mall, Central Mall and Brand’s Village have all opened within a limited radius and transformed one of the oldest cantonments of British India from being a vestige of colonial legacy into a bustling commercial hub.

The clock tower, an iconic symbol of the city’s heritage, now finds itself dwarfed by the looming structure of the Mall of Sialkot that boasts a plethora of shops, a multiplex cinema and a gaming arcade. Similarly, the languid pace of the old army welfare shops housed in colonial-style barracks with louvred windows, classic verandahs, high ceilings and expansive lawns, now throb with the vigour of commercial activity in the strip-style V Mall, featuring every retail brand imaginable, along with eateries, grocery and play areas for children.

It may be tempting to mourn this trend of hyper-commercialisation and how mall culture is primarily geared towards the middle and upper middle classes (therefore widening the class divide), but the greater visibility of women in these shopping complexes is ample cause for celebration. Over the last two decades, women have grown to be a significant part of the retail workforce, working as salespersons, cashiers, kiosk operators and entrepreneurs – in domains other than the beauty salon industry. A salesperson I spoke to in a makeup store in the Mall of Sialkot said she is one of the breadwinners for her family of five, besides her father who works at a leather factory. She says seeing the ever-increasing visibility of women in retail makes her “really happy and that such possibilities were next to impossible in traditional marketplaces which continue to be almost exclusively male domains.”

However, while economic prosperity may be a hallmark of Sialkot, the fact that none of the new shopping malls feature a bookstore is sobering and gives one pause for thought regarding where this city of literary giants like Allama Iqbal, Faiz Ahmed Faiz and Taufiq Rafat is headed. Apparently, the limitless Sialkoti buying prowess does not extend to buying books for leisurely reading and there are no bookstores other than stationery shops carrying school and college textbooks. Hafeez Traders, the most popular bookstore for students in the city, does not carry many works of fiction, due to lack of demand. A few bookstalls carry the usual suspects – religious literature along with a few bestselling authors, notably Ashfaq Ahmed, Mumtaz Mufti and Umera and Nemrah Ahmed. Best sellers for sure but whether it is serious literature or not remains debatable.

A Canadian-Pakistani woman expresses her dismay at the state of affairs: “When I first moved here I was disappointed by the complete absence of bookstores. I love reading and I want to inculcate that love in my three children, and for this I have to go to Lahore.” Discussing the possible reasons behind the trend, she says that in the past, “many people pursued higher education in order to take over family businesses. However, with globalisation people are becoming aware of the benefits of reading for leisure and I’m hopeful that the trend will pick up.”

Given the success story of SIAL and the many philanthropic ventures by the local business community, one hopes a literary renaissance isn’t far behind!

Mariam Tahir Butt is a freelance writer.
mkw400@gmail.com