Pakistan’s eminent library scientist honoured in Saudi Arabia

Pakistan News & Features Services

Mohammad Reyaz Chaudhary, one of Pakistan’s top library science researchers, was honoured recently in Riyadh, the capital of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.

The Pakistani expatriates in Riyadh organized the function to felicitate the veteran library scientist and highlight his educational services toward the community in the Kingdom. 

Khayyam Akbar, charge d’affaires at the Pakistan Embassy in Riyadh, explained the significance of libraries in public life and congratulated Reyaz Chaudhary for his meritorious services in library administration in Pakistan and the Kingdom, which he recognized, made the community very proud. 

“Libraries have played a significant role in our success and are considered essential for developing an educated society through programs which improve literacy and information including lifelong learning opportunities. Therefore, it is imperative to appreciate the work done by Reyaz Chaudhary,” he observed. 

Khayyam Akbar added that Reyaz Chaudhary had offered his assistance on numerous occasions and urged the community members to come forward and help the embassy in finding solutions for school-related concerns like non-availability of seats and other needs. 

“The little I have done was my duty toward the Pakistani community in the Kingdom,” Reyaz Chaudhary, working as a natural/services information specialist with the King Fahd National Library, Riyadh, remarked rather modestly after being presented a memento to for his services. He thanked the community for their respect and affection. 

Referring to his passion for libraries and learning, he recalled having discontinued his formal education after the death of his father and begun working to support his family. However, as he was ambitious to earn a doctorate, he embarked on his Ph.D. degree in Library Science when he became financially stable and worked in various capacities in library administration. 

The Riyadh-based Pakistani poet, Javed Akhtar Javed, who was guest of honour, reckoned that public libraries played an important role in the development and maintenance of a sound society by giving individuals access to a wide and varied range of information, ideas, opinions and skills.