Pakistan’s first street library inaugurated in Karachi

Six more libraries will be established in other parts of city

KARACHI: The first street library in Pakistan, with over 600 books on different subjects, was inaugurated in the city on Wednesday, on the occasion of the 144th birth anniversary of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah.

The street library is located at the Commissioner's Corner at Metropole near Quaid-e-Azam House.

The library, which was set up on the directives of Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shallwani, was inaugurated by Sindh Chief Secretary Syed Mumtaz Ali Shah.  Other senior officials, civil society members, political activists, literary figures and others attended the inaugural ceremony.

Karachi’s public libraries rot in decay

Appreciating the establishment of the library, Shah said that the library will promote reading culture. He announced that similar kinds of libraries will also be established in other cities of the province, including Hyderabad and Sukkur.

Meanwhile, Shallwani said that the idea of setting up a street library was part of his efforts towards the promotion of reading culture in the city. He said all six districts of the city will have such street libraries in the coming days.

According to the commissioner, directives have been issued to all deputy commissioners to set up such libraries as well as make efforts to improve existing government libraries. He also promised that all possible efforts were being made to rehabilitate existing libraries that are run by government institutions.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 26^th, 2019.