Newspaper circulation across Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) has plummeted sharply in recent years, with industry workers saying the rise of social media and the absence of government assistance have pushed the once-thriving sector to the brink of collapse.
Vendors and publishers state that the industry, which supported thousands of families for decades, is now surviving on a fraction of its former readership.
According to workers who have spent nearly their entire careers in the profession, the decline began after the Covid-19 pandemic, when newspaper prices surged due to high newsprint costs and disrupted supply chains.
Instead of offering relief, the government issued promises of aid that never materialised, leaving workers grappling with financial instability. Many say their daily earnings have fallen to less than a quarter of what they once made.
One of the biggest shifts, they argue, is the dominance of social media. Digital platforms now carry scanned PDF copies of newspapers, freely circulated and widely read, especially among younger audiences, leaving print editions with limited buyers. Most remaining readers are above 50 years old, while government offices remain the only sizeable institutional subscribers.
