Minister asks children equip themselves with education

• Ali Zafar says education, book reading can change a nation for future challenges

ISLAMABAD: Caretaker Minister for Information, Broadcasting, National History and Literary Heritage Barrister Syed Ali Zafar on Tuesday said that education and book reading were powerful tools that could change the world and prepare a nation for future challenges.

Speaking after inaugurating the Children Free Summer Book Club organised by the National Book Foundation (NBF) here, he said that the children had qualities of heart and mind and they could become super heroes if they equipped themselves with education.

Ali Zafar said that the children were the future of Pakistan as they would take up important roles for the nation building. He said that the education prepared a nation for future challenges and time had come that it should be taken as a security issue. He said that the children would be joining important institutions like the parliament when they would be adults.

The minister said that the government fought the war against terrorism which was an issue of security. Similarly, lack of water and education were also posing security risks, he said, adding that issues like controlling population and improving health facilities could be resolved through education.

He said that the education was ignored in the past but if the nation focused on it, nobody could stop Pakistan from making progress. He said that the book reading inculcated important values, such as tolerance and created awareness about the points of view held by different people. “We learn so much from books, as these books raise our awareness about different issues,” he said.

BOOK READING CULTURE: The caretaker minister told the audience that he was an avid reader and used to read a book every week. He adopted the reading habit as his father encouraged him to buy and read books. He suggested that the children should be motivated so they become habitual readers. He said that a three-day book fair would be held in Murree and writers would be invited to the event so that people get the opportunity to interact and hold discussions with authors about books.

“After a discussion, when a writer signs a book, it is a matter of great joy for a person buying it.” He said that at the book fair to be organized from July 13 to 15 in Murree, children would get an opportunity to be among books and get familiar with the culture of the book reading.

He said that people from all over the country visited Murree and the fair would help project a soft image of Pakistan. National Book Foundation Chairman Dr Inamul Haq briefed the audience about his organisation, saying the NBF was selling books worth Rs 350 million every year through its outlets and it was taking steps to encourage the culture of book reading.