Pakistan celebrates Book Day / Editorial Pakistan Observer Tues 24 April, 2012

EVERY year, on April 22, the country celebrates the National Book Day as part of the efforts to promote the culture of book reading. In his message on the occasion, Prime Minister Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani rightly pointed out that culture of book reading is closely linked to moral, social and intellectual uplift of a nation.

The culture of book reading has received setback throughout the world because of mind-boggling developments in IT and communication sectors that have changed the way of life of the people almost in every corner of the globe. The time, which older people used to spend on reading books, is now consumed by computer related activities like game, e-mails, tweeting, face-book and chating on mobile phones. But books definitely still have an edge over these activities and that is why the day is observed to highlight the importance of book reading and encouraging the citizens of Pakistan to spare some time for turning to books. Thanks to the week long activities organized by the National Book Foundation, Pakistan Academy of Letters and National Language Authority, people especially students and young generation got ample opportunities to get incentive to revert back to this culture. The book mela and exhibitions instilled huge interest from different segments of life and hopefully such activities would revive the culture of book reading. At Federal level, all these activities fall under the domain of Cabinet Division, which is led by visionary and work alcoholic Nargis Sethi and therefore, one can expect from her to devote more attention to this vital issue.

             Book writers & readers must be honored on Book Day

This is very much pleasing and heartening to know that Pakistan celebrates the day each year and it is very kind of PM Syed Yousuf Raza Giallni to issue a message on the day. It is equally appreciable that Pakistan Observer wrote an editorial on it. However, to me and I am sure that many will agree with me that it would have been the best if some prominent book writers and regular book readers should have been awarded on Book Day.

Iqbal Hadi Zaidi / Kuwait