Efforts urged to promote book reading culture

TIMERGARA: Speakers at a session held in Talash area of Lower Dir district here on Sunday expressed concern over the declining culture of book reading and urged teachers, parents and scholars to play a role in the revival of the reading culture among people.

A function was organised by the AURAAQ - The Book Club, a project of the Pakistan Development Foundation that works on promotion of education.

Local educationists, teachers, students and social activists attended the function, which was addressed by the PDF project director Yasirullah, journalist Haleem Asad, Prof Dr Ali Hazrat, scholars Munawar Khan, Akbar Jan, social activist Shad Muhammad and others.

The speakers said that book reading culture was fast declining in Pakistan as the majority of the students and researchers preferred Google searching and mobile phones.

They said collective efforts were needed to revive the book reading culture in the country.

The speakers said parents did not advise children to read books other than textbooks.

Yasirullah said that his organisation had planned various initiatives for the revival of book reading.

He said the PDF chief Muhammad Bilal Sethi was enthusiastic to extend his organisational activities to Dir Yasirullah said the PDF volunteers would arrange small-scale study circles first at village level and then in urban areas to promote the habit of book reading.

One of the speakers said that book reading was important because it strengthened brain, created sympathy with others, developed readers’ vocabulary, reduced stress, and also improve one’s sleep.

Other speakers suggested that students and youth should start from storytelling in order to have a taste of reading.

The audience appreciated the initiative and said they would cooperate with the PDF in its efforts to revive the culture of book reading.