Zubair Yaqoob
Sindh Governor Imran Ismail said on Saturday that the Karachi Literature Festival (KLF) has become a prominent literary event and has kept the citizens of Karachi in the saddle for the last 10 years. He was speaking at a review session of a book written jointly by Ikram Sehgal and Dr Bettina Robotka titled ‘Blood over different shades of green’. The governor offered to hold the event next year at the Governor House, saying that doing so would help expand it even further. He said that Sehgal and Dr Robotka’s book is a document of our history and it mentions many events that have not been told before, for which both authors deserve praise. “Young people need to be aware of this bitter part of our history so that such an event can never happen again,” he said. He said that the reasons and factors of the Dhaka fall mentioned in the book, the mistakes made in this regard and the lessons it provided were worth consideration. He said that the KLF is also helping in the promotion of books and the public participation in it is a sign that people still want to read the book. The event was also addressed by renowned analyst Haider Mehdi and the authors of the book and highlighted various aspects of it. On the question being asked about the Karachi Circular Railway while talking to the media on the occasion, Governor said that closing of the Karachi Circular Railway was a big crime and the responsible should be punished. He further added that the Supreme Court orders are being implemented in this regard but those who have taken possession of railways land and set up projects on it should be brought to the notice of law. The governor said that alternative places should be provided to settlers removed from the KCR track. On a question regarding the Corona virus, Governor said that precautionary measures have been taken on all borders in Pakistan to prevent it from spreading. While lauding the efforts of the Chief Minister Murad for prevention of coronavirus the governor said that the federal government would extend all possible help to Sindh governmentin this regard. He said that the KLF has become the hallmark of the city and the organisers deserve congratulations on this eleventh edition.