Five-day Karachi International Book Fair starts tomorrow

The managing committee of the Karachi International Book Fair (KIBF) on Tuesday said that 40 exhibitors from 17 countries, besides 140 leading publishers and booksellers from Pakistan, will participate in the 19th KIBF that will be held from December 12 to December 16 at the Karachi Expo Centre.

The five-day book fair has been organised by the Event and Conference International (Pvt.) Ltd. in association with the Pakistan Publishers & Booksellers Association (PPBA).

Speaking at a press conference, 19th KIBF Convener Waqar Mateen Khan and PPBA Chairman Aziz Khalid said Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah will inaugurate the book fair as the chief guest. They said Education Minister Syed Sardar Ali Shah will be the guest of honour, adding that Mohammad Ahmed Shah, the Karachi president of the Arts Council of Pakistan, will be the keynote speaker.

They also said the KIBF has now achieved the distinction of being the country’s largest consumer/trade fair since its inception in 2005. The event brings together publishing and distribution houses, domestic/international publishers, booksellers, librarians and institutional customers on a single platform, they added.

Publishers from Iran, India, Turkey, Singapore, China, Malaysia, England, the UAE and other countries are attending the international event. Over 330 stalls will display books on all subjects to discerning readers, including vast numbers of families, students and book lovers from all over the country.

The book fair will be visited by book lovers, students from all groups and ages, professionals from all walks of life, academicians, writers, librarians and the general public. Various book launches and book releases will also be held for notable writers during the fair, besides various contests, like drawing, recitation, extempore speech and quizzes, for children.

Khan thanked the publishers and booksellers for their participation in the book fair, and the managing committee for their untiring efforts to make this event possible. He hoped that a record-breaking number of visitors would participate in the KIBF this year as in the past.

Khalid stressed that this edition would be remarkable and distinctive, as efforts are being made to establish effective working relationships with key international book fairs, leading towards an exchange of professional expertise for highlighting the importance of book fairs at national and international levels. “Fairs are not only book exhibits any more. International book fairs are very important forums not only for publishers but also for government agencies/missions as an effective tool for diplomacy.”