The Directorate of Private Institutions (DPI) Sindh had decided to organize a grand book fair especially for students and consultations will be held with associations of private educational institutions and all, relevant authorities.
Pakistan Publishers Association had assured all possible support for organization of grand book fair.
Director Private Institutions Sindh Registrar Rafia Mallah, Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association Chairman Aziz Khalid and Karachi International Book Fair Waqar Mateen announced this while speaking to journalists at the closing ceremony of the ongoing five-day 17 Karachi International Book Fair at the Karachi Expo Center.
On this occasion, Deputy Convener of Book Fair Nasir Hussain, Nadeem Mazhar, Nadeem Akhtar, Kamran Noorani and Waseem Abdul Hassan were also present.
Registrar Directorate Private Institutions and Registration Sindh Rafia Mallah said that the usefulness of the book fair cannot be ignored in the modern or digital age.
“Digital books weaken the eyes, but books do not weaken the eyesight. The treasures of knowledge are kept in the exhibition of Karachi Expo Center. Students also come in large numbers, it is the great sign of the future generations,” she said.
Rafia Mallah said that although private educational institutions organized book fairs for their students every year, the directorate has started working on a plan to organize an expo-style book fair especially for students in view of the academic benefits.
She said that in the book fair, people are not only coming to see the books, but to buy them and no matter how expensive the books become, the readers will definitely buy.
Aziz Khalid, Chairman of Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association and Waqar Mateen, Convener of Karachi International Book Fair, while talking to the journalists, said that if the tax imposed on imported paper is reduced publishers across Pakistan can also reduce book prices
They said that all domestic and foreign publishers in the Book Fair had greatly reduced the prices of books on the last day, encouraging not only the management but also those who are fond of books. That was the reason why the book fair had broken all previous records.
They said that they are willing to do joint adventure in Pakistan with foreign publishers. They said that book piracy is a serious problem in Pakistan, but the good thing is that Pakistani publishers consider this practice as undesirable.
Aziz Khalid, Chairman of Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association and Waqar Mateen, Convener of Karachi International Book Fair said that publishers of Pakistan are compiling educational and academic books according to the needs of the modern age and they have full support of academic and literary experts. They said that the people were as excited as they were at the beginning of the book fair.
