2024 general election brings boom to printing, advertising industries in Khyber Pakthunkhwa
PESHAWAR (APP): Witnessing great boom in printing and advertising business in Khyber Pakthunkhwa, the 2024 general election brought smile on the faces of printers, advertisers and publishers after receiving substantial orders from contesting candidates and political parties working till late night to fulfill the placed orders.
The printers and advertisers of Mohallah Jahnagi, a hub of printing, advertisements and designing business located at the backside of historic Qissa Khwani bazaar, received heavy orders from thousands of candidates and religio-political parties ahead of 2024 general election and were making handsome profits.
Busy like a honeybee in printing of posters, banners and others election related materials, Ali Khan (42), a motivated printer at Mohallah Jhangi Peshawar is working against the time to fulfill printing’s demands of election candidates.
Attracting a substantial printing and advertising orders from political parties and independent candidates regarding preparations of political parties flags, posters, advertisements, graphics designing, promotional cards, billboards, pana-flex, Ali Khan, who associated with printing and advertising business since 2014 said, “the response of election candidates especially of their supporters was overwhelming in KP where all printers received orders from Rs5lakh upt Rs3 million.”
“I have engaged six extra labourers, who worked till late night to meet demands of printing materials of the tickets holders and independent candidates by January 15, 2024,” he said, adding the printers and advertisers of Peshawar also received heavy orders from merged tribal districts and Attak district of Punjab province.
Ali said the closure of Charsadda and Mardan paper mills have made a negative impact on the printing business in Peshawar where prices of finished goods have significantly increased due to transportation of election related papers from Punjab and electricity-cost.
“Printing is a pain-sticking business. The printers and advertisers are sometimes overworked like presently in election days and often short of orders suffered financial losses during COVID-19 pandemic at Peshawar where approximately 40,000 people including 3,000 printers, publishers and graphic designers are directly or indirectly associated with it.”
He claimed that printers and publishers having quality printing machines and skilled labourers received heavy orders to the tune of Rs five million and to receive more profit as election comes nearer.
Zafar Khan Khattak, President, All Printers and Publishers Association KP told APP that Peshawar based printers and publishers started earning great profits in posters, designing, advertisements and party flags.
He said that substantial printing orders of posters were received from candidates of merged tribal districts including South Waziristan, North Waziristan, Orakzai, Kurrum, Khyber, Mohmand and Bajaur.
Anees Khattak said KP was geographically placed in a relatively disadvantageous location in terms of its long distance from Karachi seaport, and the KP exporters have to pay an extra amount compared to Punjab and Sindh provinces to transport raw election related materials here.
“Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s printers has pinned high hopes from Special Economic Zones (SEZ) Rashakai being built under China Pakistan Economic Coridors (CPEC) and Economic Zones where establishment of printers, advertisers and papers units would not only open up new vistas of investment and employment opportunities but help bolster trade volume among Pakistan, Central Asian States (CARs) and Afghanistan.”
With great potential to increase bilateral trade volume, he said Afghanistan and CARs were our main exports markets where Pakistani printing and paper materials were being preferred for preparation of text, islamic, literature and others books due to its better quality, standards, durability and cost-efficiency.
Khattak said the printing industry could further flourish in Peshawar, if we have the required expertise, quality manpower and a mechanism to control prices of papers and inflation as for printing materials besides government patronage required to help the COVID-19 affected printers.
“Peshawar’s printers and publishers mostly go to Lahore to repair major technical faults once developed in their machines, as most local mechanics lack expertise and thus face financial problems.”
He said it is a very costly practice and sometimes we have to pay up to Rs50,000 to Rs one lakh for its repair and maintenance including payment of transport charges, adding 3D printing and paper business would further shine once the general election comes closer. He said priorities may be given to young entrepreneurs and young printers and advertisers to promote printing and paper industries besides advertisements as a profession with great scope in employment generation for youth.
“In developed countries, the political leaders come in a selected arena where they present election programs through TV, Radio and social media platforms rather than consuming taxpayers money on printing materials,’” said Manzoorul Haq, former ambassador of Pakistan while talking to APP.
He said electioneering was about going to space in the country especially in Khyber Pakthunkhwa and advised political stalwarts that keeping in view of harsh weather conclude their functions before Magrib prayer.
Manzoor said the maximum utilization of TV, Radio and social media platforms would help save time and money of candidates besides election related expenses manifolds.
