KARACHI: Sindh Minister for Education and Culture Syed Sardar Ali Shah inaugurated five-day 17th Karachi International Book Fair at Karachi Expo Centre.

MQM-P leader Aamir Khan, former member Sindh Assembly Mehtab Akbar Rashidi, senior journalist Qazi Abid, writer and poet Fatima Hasan, Agha Masood, Aleem Qureshi, British publisher Charlie, senior journalist, writer and columnist Mahmood Sham, Chairman of Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association and Karachi International Book Fair Chairman Aziz Khalid, Convener Waqar Mateen, Deputy Convener Nasir Hussain, Nadeem Mazhar, Nadeem Akhtar, Kamran Noorani and Waseem Abdul Hassan and number writers, poets, socialites, journalists, politicians and religious personalities participated.

Sardar Ali Shah said that first book he read in his life was Shah Jo Risalo on advice of his grandfather. He said that all progress in world today is owed to book. He said that now there is an era of digital devices, but nothing has ability to replace pages of book.

“Perhaps we will be the last people of today’s era who have had pleasure of turning pages of books,” he added.

Urdu and Sindhi language is not being given attention in our private educational institutions, as only two percent of private schools have Urdu and Sindhi language teachers.

“If we do not transfer our language to next generations, then these books will remain useless. It has become necessary to protect our language,” he added.

Book Fair should also be held in Hyderabad, Larkana and other districts of Sindh. He assured all cooperation from government level.

Mehtab Akbar Rashidi said that two years ago when whole world was dealing with endemic and we could not even meet our loved ones to increase their courage during illness, it was book that stood with us.

“When you read book, you gain awareness of new world. A book is medium that connects you to world. Habit of reading books makes you strong mentally and socially,’ she said

Chairman of Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association and Karachi International Book Fair Aziz Khalid said that this book fair had been inaugurated by school and college students even before official inauguration. Khalid Aziz said that price of paper is increasing day by day and prices of books become so expensive that they are out of reach of readers. He requested federal government to reduce tax on paper and this matter may be raised in provincial assembly so that affordable books can be provided to common man including students.

In the Book Fair, a deep interest was seen in international books, including Urdu, Sindhi, Persian, Punjabi, Gujarati, languages spoken across the country as well as English language books and magazines.

In the book fair, there was keen interest of students and parents at the textbook stalls.

The books are being provided at a discounted rate of up to 70 per cent by the publishers. Karachi International Book Fair will continue from 8th December to 12th December 2022 at Expo Center Karachi.

Published in The Daily National Courier, December, 09 2022

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