Official Plans for Libraries in Pakistan

Some weeks ago, the Chief Minister of the Punjab invited Basarat Kazim, president of IBBY Pakistan, for a meeting where they spoke in great detail about the work that the Alif Laila Book Bus Society has been doing to promote reading, as well as setting up and advocating the role of libraries and producing books for children.

He was impressed by Basarat's dedication and told the Deputy Secretary, who was the only other person in the meeting that, "she is very passionate about libraries". 

In a recent meeting, which he chaired, he told the participants of the meeting, "We cannot achieve any of the goals we have set ourselves unless we invest in libraries".  He put his sentiment into action and asked Baserat to design and set up libraries in 73 Centres of Excellence (current schools that are being improved and new facilities added), 12 Daanish Schools (state of the art schools that are being set up in disadvantaged areas to cater to the lowest income groups) and a whole new library in Murree (just north of Islamabad).

The Education District Officer is arranging a further meeting with her very soon to discuss libraries in primary schools – possibly 300 of them!

Congratulations to Basarat and IBBY Pakistan!  This is a great chance for the children of Pakistan and we wish them every success.

Read more about their work in the earthquake zone of Northern Pakistan: Alif Laila Book Bus Society

Read about the 2008 poster campaign to encourage reading in Pakistan