SLIM Training Session attracts 40 participants

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The participation of nearly 40 librarians in the SLIM Training Session, organized at Adamjee Government Science College on August 22 marked the beginning of the 1st Anniversary Celebrations of the Karachi Library Association (KLA). Master Trainer, Aijaz Akhter Ahmedani, also a member of KLA Executive Committee, conducted the session successfully. 

Prof Nasir Iqbal, Principal, Adamjee College, graced the occasion as the chief guest and distributed certificates among the participants in the closing ceremony. 

Speaking on the occasion, he highlighted the importance of such training sessions which helped immensely in improving skills of the participating individuals and enabled them to serve their respective organizations more effectively. 

The opportunity of attending the software training session, offered free of cost, was availed by a large number of librarians, mostly youngsters. They declared having learnt a lot during four hours from the Master Trainer, who happened to be a PhD Scholar. 

This initiative was aimed at advancing library services and technology integration within educational institutions. Keen interest of the participants reflected their hunger to keep learning. They looked forward to many such opportunities in future.

Veteran librarians share thoughts, experiences in exclusive session

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Veteran librarians Syed Iftikhar Hussain and Niaz Ahmed enlightened the audience by sharing thoughts and experiences of their illustrious careers during ‘Session with Head of Library’ event held at Government Degree Girls College, Gulzar-e-Hijri, on August 23 as a part of 1st Anniversary Celebrations of the Karachi Library Association (KLA). 

The session was presided over by Iftikhar Hussain, who had retired as head of the famous Mahmood Hussain Library at the University of Karachi a few years. A man of few words, he briefly touched upon the challenges faced at managing the affairs of the central library of the iconic institution due to budgetary constraints and other issues. 

Niaz Ahmed, having relocated in Canada after a long-stint as librarian at the head office of Pakistan International Airlines (PIA) in Karachi, floated the idea of establishing libraries dedicated to children besides making arrangements for vocational training at public libraries. He stressed the need for making libraries as centres for learning. 

The session was also addressed by the KLA office-bearers, Farheen Mahmood (President), Syed Khalid Mahmood (Advisor) and Nasir Mustafa (Secretary). They paid glowing tributes to both the veteran libraries and expressed the hope that they will continue guiding the younger crop of professionals. 

The Principal of Government Degree Girls College, Gulzar-e-Hijri, Sameen Durdana, while proposing the vote of thanks, mentioned that the college library, still in its early days, will be improved with the induction of new books and journals.

Prof Amir Subhani’s thematic cake in spotlight

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Treasurer of Karachi Library Association (KLA), Professor Amir Subhani, was lavishly praised for conceiving and producing a thematic anniversary cake which hogged the spotlight during the ceremony at the Adamjee Government Science College on August 24. 

The Director General, Colleges, Sindh, Prof Dr Navaid Rab Siddiqui, who was the chief guest on the occasion, noted with delight the creativity and thought process before cutting it in the presence of KLA office-bearers and other dignitaries. 

Professor Nasir Iqbal, the host Principal, also appreciated the novel idea of coming up with a such a spectacular cake, while Syed Khalid Mahmood, Advisor, KLA, described it as a masterclass. 

The credit for surprising the audience with such a spectacle belonged to the supremely energetic KLA Treasurer, Professor Amir Subhani, who made lots of efforts to get it designed and baked within the stipulated period despite his preoccupations in organizational matters of anniversary celebrations which began on August 22. 

Fittingly, he was warmly recognized and rewarded for his outstanding efforts. He was wholeheartedly lauded almost by everyone present on the occasion. He richly deserved the compliments.

DG pledges to revamp college libraries in Sindh

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Director General, Colleges, Sindh, Prof Dr Navaid Rab Siddiqui, has pledged to revamp libraries at government colleges, generally in dire straits, throughout the province. 

He was speaking as chief guest in the seminar, Digital Repositories in Libraries: Strategies for Data Preservation and Retrieval, which was organized as a part of the first anniversary celebrations of Karachi Library Association (KLA) at the Adamjee Government Science College on August 24. 

He expressed keen interest in digitalization of libraries, urging the head of colleges to mobilize their available resources in getting hold of computers to get started in this direction. 

He advised the heads to facilitate in providing digital tools at their respective colleges. The DG Colleges defended the absence of quite a few invited Principals from the ceremony by pointing out that they could be preoccupied in the ongoing admission process at their colleges. 

He, however, agreed to the suggestion that legislative changes were desired to ensure participation of working librarians in professional activities instead of carrying out tasks beyond the call of duty at colleges. 

Nasir Mustafa, Secretary General, KLA, conducted the seminar and Professor Farheen Mahmood, President, KLA, delivered the welcome address. Professor Nasir Iqbal, Principal, Adamjee Government Science College, presented vote of thanks while Syed Khalid Mahmood, Advisor, KLA, was the master of ceremony.

Last survivor of PIA plane crash in 1965 dies

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Salahuddin Siddiqui, the last of the six survivors of the plane crash at Cairo in 1965, died in London on August 16. He was 93. He had retired from service as General Manager, Public Affairs, Pakistan International Airlines (PIA), in 1980. 

He is best remembered for having miraculously escaped, besides others, as PIA’s inaugural flight (PK-705) to the Egyptian capital on May 20, 1965, crashed about 20 kilometers before the Cairo airport. 

Carrying 128 passengers, including crew members, the plane was scheduled to proceed further to Dhahran, Saudi Arabia, with London, UK, being its final destination. As many as 21 journalists onboard also lost their lives. 

Only half a dozen persons had survived the crash with Salahuddin Siddiqui, who had relocated to London, being the last of them to breathe his last more than 59 years after the fateful incident. According to the family sources, he is survived by a son and a daughter. 

Meanwhile the PIA management has condoled his death, noting that, with his death, the national flag-carrier has been deprived of a great friend whose services will always be remembered.

Adamjee Government College to facilitate KLA in anniversary celebrations

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The famed Adamjee Government Science College will be extending support to the Karachi Library Association (KLA) which gears up to hold its first anniversary celebrations in a memorable manner later this month. 

The assurance in this regard was given by the College Principal, Professor Nasir Iqbal, during his meeting with a delegation of the KLA on August 8. 

While lauding the sustained efforts of KLA since its inception in August 2023, he assured fullest support and facilitation in holding the upcoming anniversary events during the current month. 

The KLA team comprised of President, Professor Farheen Mahmood (President), Professor Amir Subhani (Treasurer), and Ali Asghar Dars (Public Relation Secretary), all of them having had the distinction of serving Adamjee Government Science College as librarian. They also happen to be proud recipients of the Distinguished Librarian award, presented to them by the President of Pakistan earlier this year. 

“We are very glad with the outcome of our meeting with Professor Nasir Iqbal who not only wholeheartedly appreciated our efforts for the cause of librarianship but also pledged his support to our cause. We are grateful to him,” Professor Farheen Mahmood, President, KLA, remarked in a brief chat with PNFS. 

She revealed that the 13-member KLA executive committee was in the process of finalizing events to be held as a part of the first anniversary celebrations from August 22 to 24 adding that the details about them will be announced shortly.