Book show continues to pull crowds on second day

On the second day of the 15th Karachi International Book Fair (KIBF), thousands of book lovers, including politicians, students, teachers and general public, visited the Karachi Expo Centre and took keen interest in buying books and interactive sessions, dialogues and literary activities.

Muttahida Qaumi Movement-Pakistan leaders, Amir Khan and Faisal Sabzwari, Pakistan Peoples Party leader and former education minister Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq also visited the book fair, which would continue till 9 December, and spoke to reporters. They said in today's modern world the Internet is preferred more than books, but staying away from books was keeping yourself deprived of knowledge. It was important to develop reading habit in children.

They said the event was becoming an identity of Karachi and the organisers had maintained its International standards. Students, taking benefit from it, was no less than a blessing. There was a need to focus on education but normally we ignored the prerequisite to upgrade the syllabus.

On the day second, the organisers guided the visitors, provided guidance to students and welcomed notable guests on the second day of the book fair. Expressing his views over the censorship to raise questions, Khan asserted that “when a person reads books, he dares to ask intelligent questions”. Only a well-read person could speak well, he said. Replying to a question, the MQM-P leader said he liked reading historical books.

During the media talk, Mazhar-ul-Haq said the book fair in Hyderabad was organised on a very limited scale, and admitted that organising such a huge event of the International resemblance was only possible in Karachi. He termed the event a blessing for the people of the metropolis.

Sabzwari urged the parents to incorporate book reading habit in their children. He said he had been to several libraries in search of books and to write on different topics during his student life. Maintaining the impossibility to conduct books fairs every month, Faisal stressed that schools and colleges should organise book fairs every two months. A large number of students, politicians, literary personalities and teachers visited the book fair.

Students took a keen interest in co-curricular activities. Women also came in a large number and bought books. A mobile ATM facility was also provided to visitors.