By Hamid Khan Wazir
WANA, Pakistan: At the time when the culture of reading has been declining in the Country since ages mainly due to the emergence of digital technology, people of the long-neglected South Waziristan district have demanded the establishment of a library in Wana.
The suggestion was made by speakers at a seminar held in the district headquarters, which was organized by social activist Dr. Saddam.
The seminar was attended by people from different walks of life including political party leaders, local elders, youth, journalists and civil society members.
The participants of the seminar urged the government and other relevant quarters to help the press club office-bearers to establish a Central Library at Wana Press club.
Addressing the participants, the leader of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) Wana Chapter Taj Muhammad demanded the government to help them build a public library at the press club.
Taj Muhammad said that the purpose of the establishment of a state-of-the-art library was to promote peace, prosperity, development, and education in the backward area of the Country.
The Pakistan People’s Party’s (PPP) Amanullah Wazir stressed the need for promoting harmony and encouraging healthy activities.
Amanullah Wazir said that the existing educational institutions should review their methodology of imparting education in order to bring a positive development in the educational sector and to produce skillful people who could role in steering the area out of the prevailing untold problems. He said that libraries could play a vital role in this regard, as it could help develop a reading habit which makes a man perfect.
It is a praiseworthy move, as educationists globally agree that avid readers generally have higher IQs and do better in examinations/tests compared to those who don’t. Thus the reading habit in this global village, the world, is certainly under threat and demands quick fixing before it is too late.