Asma Sikandar feted for long library career

Pakistan News & Features Services

Rich tributes were paid to the veteran library scientist, Asma Sikandar Khan, during a luncheon reception hosted in her honour in Karachi on January 24. Having relocated in Canada many years ago, she’s currently on a visit to her home country.

It turned out to be a big turnout of the eminent library science professionals, having spread to the various corners of the world after completing their education from the University of Karachi. 

The credit for arranging the reunion in a befitting manner belonged chiefly to Abdul Samad Ansari, who was ably assisted by Dr Nasreen Shagufta and a few other colleagues. 

Asma Sikandar, who worked for The Canadian Press for as many as 32 years, was delighted at seeing many of her former classmates and teachers after a very long time. She was modest in her brief speech, thanking everyone for turning up at such a notice. 

“I am not sure if I deserve all these generous remarks from the distinguished speakers. I have worked to the best my abilities and I am really grateful to all of you for having showered me with praise,” she remarked. 

She has had an illustrious career in librarianship. After doing Masters in Library & Information Science (MLIS) from the University of Karachi in 1974, she had a brief stint as a librarian at the Institute of Bankers in Karachi before she moved to Canada in 1977. 

Asma Sikander joined The Canadian Press, a national news agency of Canada which is headquartered in Toronto, in 1978 and worked there as a Reference Librarian until 2010 when the entity became a commercial enterprise after being a not-for-profit cooperative for nearly a century. 

Post retirement, she has been actively involved with the Islamic Foundation of Toronto where she heads a three-member library committee. She is also a member of the Canadian chapter of the Karachi University Library & Information Science Alumni Association (KULISAA) and she contributes regularly in its newsletter.

Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, one of the founding fathers of library and information science in Pakistan, presented her a set of books published by the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB) while she was presented a copy of ‘Darakhshan Sitaray’ by its author Dr Nasreen Shagufta. 

Mohammad Wasil Usmani, in his thought-provoking speech, urged the library professionals to extend their support to the LPB and its flagship publication, the Pakistan Library & Information Science Journal (PLISJ) which has been published regularly every quarter for the past 45 years. 

In his concluding remarks, Abdul Samad Ansari observed that Prof Dr Nasim Fatima and Prof Dr Rais Ahmed Samdani were fully capable to carry forward the mission of Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, who dedicated his life for the cause of the noble profession. 

Zafar-uz-Zaman, Syed Irshad Hussain, Anis-ur-Rahman, Zakia Anis, Zain Siddiqui, Syeda Najma Sultana, Dr Iqbal Ahmed Khan, Azra Qureshi, Aasia Samid, Samid Baig, Bashiruddin Khurshid, Rehana Nasim, Kamran Ashar, Nasim Alam and Syed Khalid Mahmood were also present on the occasion.