Town blank about missing 150 books

Authorities have kept quiet about the disappearance of 150 out of 500 “valuable” books from the KBAKB Library.

NAUDERO: The authorities have kept quiet about the disappearance of 150 out of 500 “valuable” books from the Khan Bahadur Ahmed Khan Bhutto Library, Naudero, it was reported by PPI on Sunday.

After students in the area demanded that they be provided better educational facilities, the library was established more than one year back. However, according to the librarian, the shelves only hold story books and students have stopped visiting the library as there are no academic books.

There are no books on the PCS or CSS examinations, said the librarian, who added that he had recently received “bags of books on the life and achievements of Benazir Bhutto, which could not offer much help to candidates preparing for the [specific syllabus of the] public service examinations”.

Before its inauguration, the building of the library was left in an incomplete state for years. Even the former Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) zila nazim of Larkana, Khursheed Junejo, did not take any interest in getting the building completed.

However, soon after the current government took over, it started the construction work of the library, which was completed and handed over to the Ratodero Taluka Municpal Administration (TMA) which provided 500 books to the library with the promise to supply more.

However, 150 books were stolen from the library in the following weeks. Neither the TMA nor the Naudero municipal authorities lodged any report of the incident at the police station. Nor did they make any efforts to recover the books for the benefit of the students, the librarian claimed.

Residents demanded that the government provide the library with books on all subjects and topics so that students could prepare for their public service commission examinations “as the rulers have failed to provide them with any other kinds of jobs”. Qualified graduates “are roaming the streets” due to a lack of jobs, they added.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 15^th, 2010.