KIBF makes its farewell appearance with promise to return next year

The 15th Karachi International Book Fair (KIBF) concluded on Monday with over five hundred thousand people visiting the five-day event held at the Karachi Expo Centre, reads a press release issued by the show’s organisers.

Among the visitors were students from private and government educational institutions, literary luminaries, politicians, social activists and religious scholars.

The event was inaugurated by Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah. The book fair, which kicked off on Thursday, was organised by the Pakistan Publisher and Book Sales Association. Noted journalist and broadcaster Raza Ali Abidi was quoted in the press release saying that it was his desire to see youngsters developing a habit of book reading.

He said the work of private organisations for the promotion of books was commendable. Abidi, however, criticised the government for failing to effectively run educational programmes. The fair’s organisers thanked the participants for their attendance and vowed that more stalls would be set up next year.

This year, around 330 stalls were placed and 40 institutions from 17 countries participated in the event. They were from the UAE, Turkey, China, Malaysia, England and Singapore. As many as 136 bookstalls were placed by local publishers from across the country.

The fair’s conveners, Waqar Mateen and Nadeem Akhtar, maintained the impressive turnout at the show proved that “Karachi is a centre of knowledge and literature” and that people would always be attracted to books.

Furthermore, the KIBF management also thanked the international book publishers for their participation. On the fair’s last day, students on the fifth day were entertained via extra-curricular activities. ATM van services of private banks were also present to facilitate buyers.

Also, the Anjuman-e-Hilal Ahmer’s ambulance service was available to counter any uncalled mishap and emergency. KIBF deputy convener Nasir Hussain, M Iqbal Ghazyani, Iqbal Saleh, Muhammad Nadeem Mazhar, Kamran Abdul Hussain and others welcomed the notable guests on their arrival.

Politicians who visited the KIBF in the span of five days included Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shalwani, Sindh law minister Murtaza Wahab, MQM-P leaders Amir Khan, Faisal Sabzwari, Khawaja Izhar-ul Hassan and Ameen ul Haq, PPP leader Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, Hyderabad Mayor Tayyab Hussain, former provincial minister Raza Haroon, PML-N leader Nihal Hashmi, and Jamaat-e-Islami leader Muhammad Hussain Mehenti.