‘It is a great honour and high prestige for Pakistan to be elected as Vice-President and also Executive Committee Member of Asia Pacific Publishers Association,(APPA), an international high level organization and forum of all publishers, think tanks, writers and book makers in the important region of the world’.
This was stated by National Book Foundation (NBF) Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmad Malik after representing Pakistan in the annual meeting of Asia-Pacific Publishers Association in Seoul, Korea. Annual General Meeting (AGM) of Asia Pacific Publishers Association (APPA) was held in the Seoul to discuss amendment of the constitution and election of new president and other representatives from among the members.
Dominador D Buhain of Philippines was elected as the President while representative of Pakistan from NBF Secretary Ishtiaq Ahmad Malik was elected as Vice-President as well as member of the executive committee of APPA. The useful amendments in the constitution of APPA were approved by the AGM, said a news release issued here on Monday.
NBF is a member of the Asia Pacific Publishers Association which is a high profile forum for participation and playing vital role by the members in upholding the cause of promotion of publishing industry observing international copy rights among member states of Asia – Pacific. Pakistan being a member and representative through NBF keeps a prominent position in the organization as the leading publisher.
‘Pakistan’s participation in the AGM of APPA was desirable to maintain continuity in the dialogue process with international publishers as it is a big source of close liaison and contact as well as sharing of information about our country for foreign scholars, publishers and authors’, said the secretary.
He also expressed his views during the annual general meeting of APPA and told the audience about the fast track progress of NBF particularly in last few years and especially in publishing remarkable number of international standard books.
He said that NBF has been playing a pivotal role in dissemination of knowledge, literacy and promotion of book culture among Pakistanis with a slogan of ‘Book for Peace’ and ‘Book at your Threshold’.
NBF progress and contribution in the publishing industry has been appreciated by all members of Asia-Pacific Publishers Association in its annual general meeting.
They also apprehended the further important place and role of NBF in APPA for enhancement of development of book publishing industry of member states in future.
