Mistakes, errors in books not unusual: Javed Jabbar

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Reacting to the debatable decision of the Punjab Curriculum & Textbook Board (PCTB) to ban nearly 100 textbooks in the province without serving notices to the publishers, Javed Jabbar, a former federal minister and author of quite a few books, has made it clear that errors or mistakes were part and parcel of book industry which got generally corrected in the subsequent editions. 

“I endorse the views of the publishers that the PCTB should not have acted in such a manner even if they had found some factual errors or other mistakes in those books,” he observed in a talk show on a news channel. 

“The reputable publishers and authors work hand in hand for printing books which are authentic with accurate information. But despite every conceivable professional efforts we still find odd mistakes in various books,” Javed Jabbar explained. 

“Let me quote a couple of famous examples. A famous California-based scholar had incorrectly mentioned the religion of Pakistan’s first-ever President, Major General Iskander Mirza, as Zoroastrian which he was not. Another scholar of USA had described Field Marshal Ayub Khan as the President at the time of dismemberment of Pakistan in 1971, instead of General Yahya Khan,” he recalled. 

Javed Jabbar, currently also the honorary advisor of the National Curriculum Council, emphasized that mistakes could still be committed even though the manuscripts are sent to subject experts and historians for checking and relevance. 

Aziz Khalid, Chairman, Pakistan Publishers & Booksellers Association (PPBA) and Iqbal Saleh Muhammad, Managing Director, Paramount Books, during the television talk show, also resented the moves aimed at victimizing the publishers.

Shahbaz Sharif lauds China's fight against COVID-19

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Former Chief Minister of Punjab and leader of the opposition in the National Assembly, Mian Shahbaz Sharif, has lauded Chinese government's fight against COVID-19. He recorded his appreciation when he met the Chinese Ambassador, Yao Jin, in Islamabad on August 8.

He thanked China for its vigorous help to Pakistan in fighting the pandemic and expressed the confidence that the time-tested China and Pakistan friendship would continue to strengthen in future. 

Shahbaz Sharif remarked that China happened to be Pakistan’s most trusted and iron brother and his party fully supported the further development of China-Pakistan relations. 

He observed that the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) has brought historical development opportunities to Pakistan and it will lead to the restoration of Pakistan's economy and regional connectivity in the post-epidemic era. 

He stated that his party, Pakistan Muslim League (PML-N), will continue to support the construction of the economic corridor. 

Shahbaz Sharif highly praised the great achievements of the Chinese Communist Party in governance and looked forward to strengthening exchanges between the two parties and jointly promote the continuous development of the Pakistan-China all-weather strategic partnership. 

Ambassador Yao praised Mian Shahbaz Sharif for its long-term emphasis on China-Pakistan relations and support for the construction of the CPEC, assuring that China and Pakistan will help each other, join hands to fight the epidemic, and build a China-Pakistan community with a shared future.

Sri Lankan PM expresses gratitude to Imran Khan

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The newly elected Prime Minister of Sri Lanka, Mahinda Rajapaksa, has expressed gratitude to Pakistan’s Prime Minister Imran Khan for congratulating him on his victory. 

“Many thanks to Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan for your phone call and warm wishes,” the Sri Lankan Prime Minister tweeted on August 8. 

"I look forward for mutual high level visits between our two countries to strengthen our friendly bilateral ties,” he added.

ML-1 tender to be issued on Aug 31

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services) 

The Federal Railways Minister, Sheikh Rashid Ahmed, has announced that the tender for ML- 1 railway project, a part of the China Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), will be issued on August 31. 

"I am going to meet the Prime Minister (Imran Khan) in next week and request him to invite the Chinese President (Xi Jinping) to be the chief guest on the launching of the all-important CPEC project", the Railways Minister told a press conference in Lahore on August 8. 

“I met the Chinese Ambassador, Yao Jin, on August 7 and congratulated him on the approval of the project by ECNEC and requested him to complete it in three years instead of five years,” the Minister disclosed.

Sheikh Rashid said that Ambassador Yao Jin had assured him that he would convey his observation to the Chinese side. Briefing the salient features of ML-1, the Minister said that there would be no railway crossing on the track in order to avoid accidents.

He said that Pakistan would pay 10 percent of the total amount while China had agreed to pay for the remaining 90 percent.

Bridge realigned after house owner resists

By Masood Sattar Khan
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The local authorities in Guangdong province of China were compelled to realign construction of an overhead bridge as the lady owner of the house built enroute the bridge refused neither to accept the alternative flat the local administration offered nor the money. 

Heated debate has ensued among the Chinese netizens both in favour of the lady owner as well as the local administration. 

One blogger termed the lady as greedy while another, defending her, claimed that the offered compensation amount was less considering the location of the flat, situated nearby the morgue. 

However, the local administration remained confident that it would succeed in resolving the issue amicably. Meanwhile the bridge has now become a place of attraction and people from far and across the city have been regularly visiting and enjoying there.

Iqbal Saleh Muhammad welcomes textbook regulatory authority; opposes conflict of interest

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Iqbal Saleh Muhammad, an eminent publisher and bookseller, has welcomed the idea of forming an authority to regulate the contents of textbooks but at the same time he has strongly opposed a possible conflict of interest.

“It’s fine to have a regulatory body to monitor the contents of textbooks but the same body should not be mandated to publish these books because it will lead to conflict of interest which must be avoided in the larger national interest,” the Managing Director of Paramount Books pointed out during a television talk show aired recently. 

“In the past there used to be an organization by the name of National Book Council. Founded in early 1960s, it was being headed by the great Ibne Insha for many years. After acquiring the skill set from developed countries like England and Japan, they facilitated and trained the publishers and booksellers. It was a golden era for publishing and bookselling in the country,” he recalled. 

He didn’t mince words in stating that publishing books was not the cup of tea for every Tom, Dick or Harry, adding that only those having the understanding, experience and expertise of the profession could deliver the goods. 

“Everyone cannot publish high quality books just by assembling a group of authors and engaging some illustrators. Publishing is a thinking job. Only experienced and talented publishers can be expected to produce quality books,” he explained.

Iqbal Saleh Muhammad, whose company Paramount Books has been in business for the past 72 years, regretted that they have had to engage raw hands who needed on-job training in the absence of institutions who could teach editing or book production.

He dispelled the impression that professional publishers committed far too many errors or mistakes in their books.

“Professional publishers have a system of self-regulation. They treat the manuscript submitted by the authors and subject specialists with utmost respect and care. A full process, in which a number of meetings and discussions take place, is in place before any book comes out. Obviously it’s humanly not possible to bring out a book which is completely error-free but they are just minor errors which are removed in revised editions,” he clarified.

The same talk show, hosted by senior journalist Aamir Zia, was also participated by Aziz Khalid, Chairman, Pakistan Publishers & Booksellers Association (PPBA), and Javed Jabbar, a former federal minister and advisor of National Curriculum Council, who bitterly criticized the recent decision of the Punjab Curriculum & Textbook Board (PCTB) to have banned around 100 textbooks in the province without serving notices to the publishers.