MARDAN: The public library in Mardan has lost its charm for readers and book-lovers after establishment of an anti-terrorism court (ATC) on its premises.

The local people say that activities at public library and Town Hall have been affected after establishment of ATC there as visitors have to undergo strict checking. Now readers are reluctant to visit the library and people avoid holding literary and social functions at the hall, they say.

The court was established on the premises of library and Town Hall in 2003 during the rule of Pervez Musharaf to try alleged militants. With the passing, the checking process for entering the premises was made complicated and security of ATC was increased owing to fear of possible militant attack during proceedings of under-trial terrorists.

Besides, two of the three gates of the building were permanently closed. Now most of the educated and literary people have stopped visiting the library.

Musharaf Shah, the librarian, told Dawn that the building, housing the library and the hall, was built in 1990 to provide costly books to poor readers as well as promote reading habit among the residents of the area besides providing an appropriate space for holding literary and social functions.

People are reluctant to visit the facility after establishment of anti-terrorism court on its premises

He said that initially 4,000 books were provided to the library. Now the number of books in the library has reached to 25,000. He said that 300 to 400 readers would visit the library daily in the past. People would have to queue up to enter the library, the librarian recalled.

Mr Shah said that the main gate of the library remained open from 8am to 4pm for men for five days in a week and one day (Wednesday) was specified for women. “There are three categories of library membership -- general membership, student membership and children membership -- for which Rs600, Rs300 and Rs100 are charged respectively,” he added.

The librarian said that the number of visitors had dropped to100 -120 owing to establishment of ATC and security checking. The government, he said, had also established office of Rescue 1122 on the premises of library. He said that the workers of Rescue 1122 held daily parade on the premises, which created noise and disturbed the calm atmosphere of the library.

Another official at the library told Dawn that they had over 1,000 members before the establishment of ATC. Currently the library has only 350 members.

Advocate Akbar Khan Hoti told Dawn that there was no reason to establish ATC on the premises of a public library. He said that the atmosphere of the library was very good some 20 years ago when he was student of Postgraduate College Mardan. He said that ge was a regular visitor of the library.

Mr Hoti said that people were reluctant to visit the library building in the presence of ATC as there was possibility of any untoward incident during the trial of the arrested militants.

Mohammad Yasir Ali Bacha, a student, told this correspondent that government should provide modern facilities to the library. He also demanded of the government to shift the ATC from the library to some safer place.

Deputy Commissioner Shahidullah Khan and Tehsil Municipal Officer Farmanullah Khan, when contacted for their comments, held each another responsible for maintenance of the library and hall.

Shahidullah Khan said that they had no other place for establishment of ATC court. People should not be afraid to visit the library or hold any function at the hall, he said.

Published in Dawn, August 8th, 2015

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