The writers’ community on Thursday welcomed government’s decision to allocate funds for the construction of Pakistan Academy of Letters regional offices in FATA, Quetta, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad and Peshawar.
Talking to APP, Pashtu poet Iqbal Hussain Afkar said that it was essential to establish regional offices of the Pakistan Academy of Letters in various parts of the country. He said that PAL regional offices would promote literature at national level.
He said that the decision to allocate funds for establishing regional offices of PAL in various parts of the country was a good step by the present government.
Another writer and also a poet Ahmad Jan Ahmad Marwat appreciated government steps to encourage writers, adding that the new offices would facilitate people in far flung areas of the country.
He said that the writers’ community lauded the government’s initiative across the country.
He also lauded the efforts of Chairman Academy of Letters Prof Dr Muhammad Qasim Bughio, saying that Dr Bughio was making efforts to promote the country’s literature in coordination with literary personalities.
Another writer Aftab Zia said that regional offices would foster habit of reading among the people.
According to the budgetary documents, the government has allocated Rs 20 million each for the construction of regional offices of Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) at Dadu, FATA, Gilgit, Muzaffarabad, Peshawar and Quetta, besides allocating Rs20 million for up-gradation of National Library of Pakistan.
An amount of Rs10 million each has been allocated for the digitalization of rare books and manuscripts collection, establishment of Pakistan park at southern peripheral area of Mazar-e-Quaid, Karachi; preservation, restoration and presentation of Rawat Fort and recording of first digital Urdu sound dictionary, Urdu dictionary board, Karachi.
Also, Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) would be organized for two days in a week.
The publishers and book sellers of the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi would set up their stalls at weekly book bazaar. The bazaar would start working from 9:00 am till 7:00 pm.
Books on various subjects would be available at the weekly bazaar on discounts rates, said an official of PAL.
He said that the academy was making efforts to promote book reading culture in the country. He said that the academy invited students and general public to get books on discounted rates from the weekly book bazaar.
