Staff Reporter
The Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani held a review meeting of Council of Karachi Libraries at his office on Tuesday. The meeting was attended by included Lt.Col. Ghayoor Abbas Diirector Iqra Library Malir Cantt, the Members of Council of Karachi Libraries Mr. Wajid Jawad, Anjuman Taraqi Urdu Pakistan, Sultan Khalil, Talat Shakeel Director library DMC East, Ayesha Choudry Secretary DHA library, Syed Abid Raza, and others. The meeting reviewed the progress of last meeting.
They apprised that 13 public libraries were visited and which would be adopted by the Council. It had some minor issues which would be taken up and resolved on priority basis. We are going to hold Book fair with 5 lac books in Expo from October 26 &27 and all stalls have been already filled. Council will visit of remaining libraries of the city and also made an SOP code of conduct to run these libraries under the Council.
Representative of DMC East briefed that libraries of all district had issues as the funds constraints but running in very low level we are trying to maintain and sustain it within limited resources. Lt. Col Ghayoor Abbas has informed that we had recently launched a “Iqra Library” in Malir Cantt with our own resources to facilitated more than 250 t0 300 visitors daily and capacity of 24000 books availability, since March to date 550 members were registered given modern and day to day facilities, to abreast the youths with knowledge and skills.
He sought the support of the Council in provision of medical, CSS and finance books which would benefit the youth and students of the area. The Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shalllwani has once again pledged that Council will support all such gesture to all concerned, libraries should be continued within its parameters, encourage the people to come and read, make research and their studies there, libraries may run continuously, we handed over to the concerned to run these libraries self-regulating without any hindrances and authorization.
The Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani has also said that the city will have a “Central library “for which we are trying to declare one of the best and at least every town has a central library with the purpose. He is dreaming to make City’s footpaths and streets with “Reading Corner” where people come and read the book and enjoy their daily life with their own choices while such survey for the purpose would a carried to develop sites and places.
He further said that council had “Mobil Libraries” which are giving benefits to the people of the city, it may use the areas for maximum out reach of the people, besides 2 containers of books of Rotary may also be utilized for the sole purpose of the Council.
The Commissioner Karachi Iftikhar Shallwani has said that he will undertake visit of all such libraries and especially Liaquat National, Shah Bhitai Library West, and Iqra Malir to support and make these libraries as model and central Library under the Council of Karachi libraries to promote reading habits and culture among our society.
