LARKANA: The five-day ‘Shahr-i-Benazir Book Festival’ held at Jinnahbagh concluded on Thursday evening with organisers committing to keep up the healthy tradition in future.

PPP MPA Jamil Soomro, who is also political secretary to Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, and Larkana Mayor Anwar Luhar, who had inaugurated the festival, pledged to continue supporting the book fair.

People from all walks of life and age brackets, among them majority of girl students, were seen showing keen interest in purchasing books of their choice at the festival where 15 publishers had showcased their publications on religion, politics, travelogues, history and autobiography and books for competitive examinations’ preparation.

Except for National Book Foundation, no government-run publishing houses like Sindhi Adabi Board, Sindhi Language Authority, Culture Department had taken part in the book fair, while Sindhika Academy, Peacock Publishers, Sambara, Roshni, Daniyal Kitab Ghar, Safalta Publication, Gulshan Publication and certain other private publishing houses had put on display their books on a variety of subjects like Sindhi literature, history, autobiographies and a host of famous books translated from English and Urdu to Sindhi.

Book lovers kept pouring in the fair throughout the five days and surprisingly number of youth was higher than people belonging to other age groups. It was also quite encouraging to see that the girl students, who were preparing for competitive examinations, were seen picking books in English.

Most visitors were heard questioning the organisers about the absence of international publisher Oxford University Press.

Kamran Shaikh, who organised the festival in collaboration with Larkana Municipal Corporation, said that youth were taking interest in purchasing English and Sindhi dictionaries, books on grammar, English literature, science and fiction particularly novels in Sindhi, Urdu and English languages.

Books by famous writers including Amar Jalil, Shaikh Ayaz, Jamal Abro, Dr Nabi Bakhsh Baloch, Ibrahim Joyo, Ayaz Qadri, Pir Ali Mohammed Shah Rashdi, Pir Husamuddin Rashdi, Mirza Qaleech Baig, Rasool Bakhsh Palijo, Atlaf Shaikh, Rasool Memon, Badar Abro, Imdad Hussaini, Dr Mubarak and a galaxy of Sindhi, Urdu short story writers, poets and historians were focus of book lovers.

The copies of Shah Jo Risalo compiled by different authors in Sindhi, Urdu and English also attracted the visitors.

The publishers offered all books at 40 to 50 per cent discount whereas a special counter was also set up selling books for Rs100 only. Published in Dawn, January 5th, 2025