NLA comes of age with KIBF stall

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Although the National Library Association (NLA) has been participating in the Karachi International Book Fair (KIBF) since its year of inception in 2017, it was for the first time that they set up their own stall in the marquee event, organized by the Pakistan Publishers and Booksellers Association (PPBA). 

It may be recalled that Syed Muzaffar Ali Shah and Anwar Hussain, working as librarians at the State Bank of Pakistan (SBP) and the Board of Intermediate Education Karachi (BIEK) respectively, had co-founded the NLA in 2017. They drew inspiration and strength from Prof Anwar Ahmad Zai, a high-profile government officer in education sector, who volunteered to be the Association’s Advisor. 

While the response from their fellow working librarians at various institutions was lukewarm, the duo of Muzaffar and Anwar worked tirelessly and selflessly under the guidance of the Professor who facilitated their entry into the KIBF in the very first year of the Association’s existence. 

Following the sad demise of Prof Anwar Ahmad Zai in 2020, the NLA leadership succeeded in roping in Syed Khalid Mahmood, a high-achiever in media industry, to become their Advisor last year and together they set new goals which included wholehearted participation in the KIBF. 

The NLA came alive by making its presence felt in a big way in the recently concluded KIBF as their Stall No 100 in Hall 3 of the Karachi Expo Centre remained the focus of attention of the library professionals throughout five days. Innumerable visitors to their stall acquired information about the Association and many of them filled and submitted the membership form.