Bazm-e-Akram's Adab-o-Kutub Khana 6 wrapped in gold

Pakistan News & Features Services

The sixth edition of Adab-o-Kutub Khana, the flagship publication of Bazm-e-Akram, a literary forum of the library scientists, named after Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, one of the pioneers of the profession in the country, has arrived with a bang. The cover, having a set of books placed at the centre having golden background, has made it look even more graceful and attractive.

The Adab-o-Kutub Khana-6, besides being richer in content and thicker in volume also has much better presentation than the past five editions. 

It has seen the light of the day during the middle of the year, thanks to the untiring efforts of Prof Dr Nasim Fatima, a former Chairperson of the Department of Library and Information Science at the University of Karachi, who is the Chief Editor of the annual journal. 

The Adab-o-Kutub Khana-6 is spread over 200 pages and as usual it has the contributions from the eminent library professionals as well as renowned literary figures of Pakistan alongwith a few articles from abroad. It has been priced Rs 400 in Pakistan with US$12 being its international price. 

It contains quite a few research articles, travelogues, interviews, memoirs, reviews and tributes. The poetry section is also very impressive. 

It has editorial contributions from Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, Prof Dr Nasim Fatima, Abdul Samad Ansari, Dr Amna Khatoon, Dr Nasreen Shagufta, Basharat Afridi, Naeem Fatima Taufiq, Mohammad Wasil Usmani, Zakia Sultan Zaki, Syed Ahmed Naqvi, Dr Javed Manzar, Dr Najma Shaheen Khosa, Azra Qureshi, Gulnar Afreen, Tauqeer Taqi, Syed Mairaj Jami, Zainuddin Siddiqui, Mian Mohammad Saeed, Shabbir Nazish, Shahnaz Muzammil, Farman Fatehpuri, Iqbal Farooqui Qamar, Syed Liaquat Ali Nayab, Syed Mohammad Maroof, Mohammad Khurshid Alam, Shamim Ahmed Farooqui, Ikram-ul-Haq, Dr Mohammad Fazil, Hamid Rahman, Dr Moinuddin Aqeel, Rasheed Anjum, Wasim Rana, Zia Farooqui, Prof Safeer Feroze and Farhana Akhtar. 

Abdul Wahab Khan Saleem, Chief Patron, Bazm-e-Akram, in his message, has traced the history of the forum, recalling that it was founded in 1976 and the inaugural issue of Adab-o-Kutub Khana was brought out the same year while its second edition was published in 1981. 

He has lauded the efforts of the present office-bearers of Bazm-e-Akram for having ensured the timely publication of Adab-o-Kutub Khana for the past few years. He has expressed the hope that the same intensity will be maintained in future as well. 

Dr Abdul Hamid Kausar, a patron of Bazm-e-Akram, has complimented the worthy students of the Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari for extending the mission of their beloved teacher, also talking about the improvement in Adab-o-Kutub Khana with every issue. 

In the preface, the editors have mentioned the expansion of Bazm-e-Akram into an international forum and henceforth making Adab-o-Kutub Khana an international publication as the current edition has contributors from the United States of America (USA), the United Kingdom (UK), Canada and India while besides Karachi, there are contributions from Lahore, Multan, Bahawalpur, Gilgit, Sahiwal, Ahmedpur Sharqia, Dera Ismail Khan and Sargodha. 

The support of Abdul Wahab Khan Saleem, Fahim Sabzwari, Dr Abdul Hamid Kausar, Dr Hafiz Mohammad Khalid, Munir-ul-Haq Shahid, and Shamim Ahmed Farooqui in facilitating the publication of Adab-o-Kutub Khana-6 has also been acknowledged.