PESHAWAR: Organisers of Enlight Lab, a private initiative launched four years ago here, have observed a significant increase in book reading among youngsters and insisted that youth participation in their monthly study circle activity had gone up by 25 per cent compared to the previous year.

They said the monthly study circle drew young college and university graduates, both men and women, to share insights on best-selling books and authors from around the world.

The organisers said the participants discussed a wide range of topics, from local to rapidly changing global geopolitical scenarios, through hi-tech and AI–driven world perspectives.

They said the programme had completed its fourth year in the first week of the New Year.

According to the organisers, the initiative left a “huge transformative impact” on young participants through engaging, fruitful discussions on social, political and cultural issues. “Our activity has enabled youth to debate emerging discourses and build a narrative to generate ideas and concepts,” Urooj Nisar told Dawn.

She said a group of youth launched the Peshawar Study Circles on a self-support basis around four years ago to inspire and motivate the “otherwise misdirected” youth to read books and discover the magic world of the written word.

The initiative is all about hope, aspirations and pragmatism to help youth fulfill dreams and create ideas to shape and change lives in their communities, according to her.

The organisers said they arranged online sessions, connecting youth with scholars, literati and intellectuals from the US, UK and Gulf states, who offered incredible perspectives on a variety of issues, enriching youth participants with fresh and futuristic thoughts and ideas.

Young CEO of the initiative Mohammad Haris Karim Khan told Dawn that his team achieved the milestone to motivate youth to read books and foster a positive attitude for contributing to peace, progress and prosperity.

He said the main purpose of the move was to steer youth out of distractions, negative activities, like drugs, bizarre manifestations of negativism, and anti-state and anti-societal mindset through book reading, discussions, brainstorming and critical thinking to help build a forward-looking society free from lawlessness, unemployment and injustices.

The organisers said they had planned to become part of the National Incubation Centre to engage in startup ideas and create more such platforms to benefit a broader audience though both physical and online modes.

They also said they would extend the activity to local colleges and universities.

The organisers said several attendees had shown interest in replicating study circles in their respective communities to promote book reading by engaging literati for youth’s intellectual growth.

Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2025