Lyari libraries: an affair to remember
February 04, 2008
Karachi
Though Lyari is home to people mostly belonging to the low-income groups, these people are generous, politically conscious and vociferous readers.
Rahim Bux Azad, a Balochi folklore writer and activist, said: “There are probably more than 1,000 people, out of a population of 0.6 million, who have libraries at homes in Lyari.” The town is subdivided into 11 Union Councils (UCs).
“When President General Ayub Khan started Basic Democracy, he directed all heads of the local bodies institutions to set up reading rooms in their offices so that the area people could use it for their benefit. Initially, the authorities provided a small number of books for the reading rooms but then asked the chairmen to arrange for more books for the purpose,” added Azad.
Gul Hassan Kalmati, in his book Karachi, Sindh Jee Marvi writes: “There were 28 libraries in [the] different areas of Lyari.” However, Azad said that this figure could be well above 40.
Azad himself has a good collection of more than 3,000 books of literature, history, culture and art, in Sindhi, Balochi, Urdu and English languages. According to him he has donated 5,000 books to Syed Hashmi Library in Malir and 1,000 books to Imam Bux Library, Siddiq Village, Malir, to educate the political cadre.
The Pakistan Hall library, located near Jhatpat Market, Chakiwara, was the oldest library of the town, established by Abdullah Haroon before Partition. In fact, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah also visited the library, Azad said.
“There was a little group of writers and activists, who mobilised the people to raise their voices for access to libraries in their neighbourhoods during Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s government. It was because of this activism that more libraries were set up in the area,” said Saeed Baloch, another activist and an avid reader.
The Lyari Textbook Library — also known as the Mulla Fazil Hall Library –was quite popular among the readers. It consisted of textbooks, especially for students of engineering, medicine and science and was quite useful because those students who could not afford to buy books borrowed these books from the library.
While talking about the benefits of such libraries, Saeed Baloch added that “these libraries also had the leading magazines of the world for the readers of this low-income area. We started reading Time Magazine, Newsweek, Reader Digest, The Economist, etc, in these libraries 15 years ago.”
It is sad to note that these libraries have lost their appeal now. The managements do not have the funds to purchase enough newspapers, periodicals and new books for the people. Furthermore, the prices of books and newspapers have increased manifold, but the funds allocated seem to be stuck in a time warp – the amount is the same as what it was 15 years ago.
Abdul Sattar, an educationist, says that the area people do not like visiting these libraries now which is why the management is reluctant to purchase new books and dailies.
The Meeran Naka Municipal Library has been shut for the last few years. Similarly, S. Muhamaduddin Library near Moulamadad is not functioning properly. Though the staff is available, still the library receives no newspapers or books because of the shortage of funds.
Some activists believe that readers have changed their habits because of the depoliticisation of the society. Reading books and newspapers, and seeking knowledge is not a priority now.
The Mujahid Park Library was the second largest library of the area, which had a good collection of books, ranging from Yoga to Science, literature and history. Now hardly a small number of people visit it daily.
Satellite Library Singulane always remained open from morning to midnights but now its management shuts the door in the afternoon.
All concerned institutions, including union councils, towns, city government and the provincial government are not interested in providing more funds to promote reading habits among the residents, activists said.
Apart from these, other major libraries in the areas include Faiz-e-Aam Library, Hungorabad Library, Iqbal Shaheed Library, Behar Colony, Iqra Library, New Kumhar Wara, Lyari Municipal Library, Old Slaughter House, Moosa Lane Reading Room Library, Moulana Hasrat Mohani Library, Usmanabad, Nawa Lane Library, Gabol Park, Noorani Welfare Library, Ranchore Line, Sardar Abdul Rab Nishtar Library near Lyari General Hospital, Shuhada-e-Pakistan Library, Usmanabad, Syed Mehmood Shah Library, Lea Market, Umer Lane Library, Umer Lane and the Dar-ul-Mutaleh Central Fire-Brigade Library.
The area activists added that several people used to run tiny libraries in their mohallahs a couple of decades ago which was a good source of income generation for them. Thousands of people, who could not afford to buy books and periodicals, would visit the libraries of their area and borrow them on nominal daily rentals. These libraries would normally open in the afternoon till midnight. Most of them offered a wide range of Urdu books and periodicals, fiction, digests and showbiz magazines in particular, while poetry and religious books were also in great demand.
Though Lyari is home to people mostly belonging to the low-income groups, these people are generous, politically conscious and vociferous readers.
Rahim Bux Azad, a Balochi folklore writer and activist, said: “There are probably more than 1,000 people, out of a population of 0.6 million, who have libraries at homes in Lyari.” The town is subdivided into 11 Union Councils (UCs).
“When President General Ayub Khan started Basic Democracy, he directed all heads of the local bodies institutions to set up reading rooms in their offices so that the area people could use it for their benefit. Initially, the authorities provided a small number of books for the reading rooms but then asked the chairmen to arrange for more books for the purpose,” added Azad.
Gul Hassan Kalmati, in his book Karachi, Sindh Jee Marvi writes: “There were 28 libraries in [the] different areas of Lyari.” However, Azad said that this figure could be well above 40.
Azad himself has a good collection of more than 3,000 books of literature, history, culture and art, in Sindhi, Balochi, Urdu and English languages. According to him he has donated 5,000 books to Syed Hashmi Library in Malir and 1,000 books to Imam Bux Library, Siddiq Village, Malir, to educate the political cadre.
The Pakistan Hall library, located near Jhatpat Market, Chakiwara, was the oldest library of the town, established by Abdullah Haroon before Partition. In fact, Quaid-e-Azam Mohammed Ali Jinnah also visited the library, Azad said.
“There was a little group of writers and activists, who mobilised the people to raise their voices for access to libraries in their neighbourhoods during Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto’s government. It was because of this activism that more libraries were set up in the area,” said Saeed Baloch, another activist and an avid reader.
The Lyari Textbook Library — also known as the Mulla Fazil Hall Library –was quite popular among the readers. It consisted of textbooks, especially for students of engineering, medicine and science and was quite useful because those students who could not afford to buy books borrowed these books from the library.
While talking about the benefits of such libraries, Saeed Baloch added that “these libraries also had the leading magazines of the world for the readers of this low-income area. We started reading Time Magazine, Newsweek, Reader Digest, The Economist, etc, in these libraries 15 years ago.”
It is sad to note that these libraries have lost their appeal now. The managements do not have the funds to purchase enough newspapers, periodicals and new books for the people. Furthermore, the prices of books and newspapers have increased manifold, but the funds allocated seem to be stuck in a time warp – the amount is the same as what it was 15 years ago.
Abdul Sattar, an educationist, says that the area people do not like visiting these libraries now which is why the management is reluctant to purchase new books and dailies.
The Meeran Naka Municipal Library has been shut for the last few years. Similarly, S. Muhamaduddin Library near Moulamadad is not functioning properly. Though the staff is available, still the library receives no newspapers or books because of the shortage of funds.
Some activists believe that readers have changed their habits because of the depoliticisation of the society. Reading books and newspapers, and seeking knowledge is not a priority now.
The Mujahid Park Library was the second largest library of the area, which had a good collection of books, ranging from Yoga to Science, literature and history. Now hardly a small number of people visit it daily.
Satellite Library Singulane always remained open from morning to midnights but now its management shuts the door in the afternoon.
All concerned institutions, including union councils, towns, city government and the provincial government are not interested in providing more funds to promote reading habits among the residents, activists said.
Apart from these, other major libraries in the areas include Faiz-e-Aam Library, Hungorabad Library, Iqbal Shaheed Library, Behar Colony, Iqra Library, New Kumhar Wara, Lyari Municipal Library, Old Slaughter House, Moosa Lane Reading Room Library, Moulana Hasrat Mohani Library, Usmanabad, Nawa Lane Library, Gabol Park, Noorani Welfare Library, Ranchore Line, Sardar Abdul Rab Nishtar Library near Lyari General Hospital, Shuhada-e-Pakistan Library, Usmanabad, Syed Mehmood Shah Library, Lea Market, Umer Lane Library, Umer Lane and the Dar-ul-Mutaleh Central Fire-Brigade Library.
The area activists added that several people used to run tiny libraries in their mohallahs a couple of decades ago which was a good source of income generation for them. Thousands of people, who could not afford to buy books and periodicals, would visit the libraries of their area and borrow them on nominal daily rentals. These libraries would normally open in the afternoon till midnight. Most of them offered a wide range of Urdu books and periodicals, fiction, digests and showbiz magazines in particular, while poetry and religious books were also in great demand.
