Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari is back!

 By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, the founder of the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB) and an ex-chairperson, Department of Library Information Science, University of Karachi, is back to his home city of Karachi after having spent the last one year in North America. And he’s back to business once more, without wasting a single moment which has been his hallmark for decades. 

Although his travel plans have had to be altered more than once due to COVID-19 related issues during the past year and a half, the octogenarian scholar has lost none of his mighty enthusiasm and his spirits have not been dampened even a bit. 

He was his usual self at the Record Office of the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB) in Karachi on December 23 where he informally spent time with members and visitors. He was full of energy as he geared up to attend the many ceremonies in his honour which have been lined up for the next couple of months. 

The bureau has had the reputation of coming alive particularly during the period he stayed in Karachi as the library professionals from all over the country converged to seek audience with him and to invite him to their institutions. 

In the past, he had made it a point to spend three months every year in Pakistan while staying abroad for the remaining nine months. This time, however, he has arrived after a gap of more than a year as he had overstayed in Karachi due to the outbreak of COVID-19 in 2020. Quite remarkably, the LPB, despite the innumerable challenges of the pandemic, continued bringing out its books as well as their quarterly journal.

LPB founder leaves for USA finally

 By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

The Founder President of the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB), Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, has left for the United States of America (USA) after an extended stay of nearly a year in Pakistan on November 1. 

According to details, the LPB founder, who had originally arrived for five-month visit of his home country last November, could not return at the designated time which was in the last week of March this year as flights to USA had been suspended due to the outbreak of the pandemic. 

Although life generally had come to standstill in most parts of the world, including Pakistan, with lockdowns and social distancing becoming norms due to coronavirus (COVID-19) since the mid of March, it went to the credit of Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari to have worked passionately from home all along. 

As lockdown restrictions were relaxed after a few months, he resumed visiting the record office of LPB, a pioneering non-governmental organization in the field of education and research. He ensured the timely publication of the Pakistan Library & Information Science Journal (PLISJ) although the delivery of the quarterly magazine to its members and subscribers was affected for some time due to postal issues. 

He continued coming to the LPB office, housed in the complex of Liaquat Memorial Library, Karachi, regularly and he last spoke during the felicitation ceremony for Jumbo Publishing’s new book ‘Mayar-e-Zindagi’ on October 28. 

As in the past, Prof Dr Nasim Fatima, Chief Editor, Adab Wa Kutub Khana, will now be spearheading the bureau’s activities from Pakistan in the absence of its founder and leader. 

The first lady chairperson of the Library and Information Science department at the University of Karachi, Prof Dr Nasim Fatima has been chiefly responsible for setting up and operating what has become a tastefully decorated record office of the LPB.

PLISJ completes 51 years of non-stop publication

 By Abdul Qadir Qureshi 

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal (PLISJ), a quarterly publication of the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB), Karachi, has successfully completed 51 years of its non-stop publication by bringing out its October-December 2020 issue (Volume 51, Number 4) recently. 

It has lived to the reputation of braving all challenges as the quarterly journal has come out in time once more even though the life in general still remained disturbed by the pandemic of coronavirus (COVID-19) whose second wave has already caused concerns in Pakistan and many other countries. 

Besides overcoming the unforeseen obstacles, as a result of the virus from the beginning of the current year, the LPB management has had to continuously tackle the lukewarm response from the library professionals in matters relating to subscription and its timely remittances. 

The PLISJ Chief Editor, Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, who is also the Founder President of the LPB, has pointed it out in nearly every issue of the journal but somehow the community of library professionals, having reaped enormous benefits from it, has remained sluggish in their response. 

Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, an ex-chairperson of the University of Karachi’s Library and Information Science department, alnogwith his trustworthy lieutenant and former student, Prof Dr Nasim Fatima, has been chiefly responsible for keeping the bureau as well as the journal afloat against the heaviest of odds.

PLISJ beats lockdown to arrive in time yet again

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Although the ongoing lockdown, being enforced to prevent coronavirus (COVID-19) from spreading, has brought life to a virtual standstill throughout the country, only a handful of organizations and institutions have managed to remain afloat in the prevailing situation. 

Quite remarkably, the Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal (PLISJ), a quarterly publication of the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB), Karachi, has succeeded in bringing out its April-June 2020 issue (Volume 51, Number 2) in time once more.

The PLISJ Chief Editor, Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, who is also the Founder President of the LPB, has to be credited for accomplishing this gigantic task in the most challenging of situations.  

Having stayed back in Pakistan, instead of returning to North Amercia where he normally spent his summers, he has kept his associates motivated even during the lockdown period with his dossiers via email. 

A former chairperson of the University of Karachi’s Library and Information Science department, he has continued to be the motivation as well as the binding force in keeping the bureau alive, with the help of his able and trustworthy lieutenant, Prof Dr Nasim Fatima.

PNFS honours Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, Syed Masood-ul-Hasan Shah

PNFS Report

The Pakistan News and Features Services (PNFS) hosted a dinner reception in the honour of eminent intellectuals, Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari and Syed Masood-ul-Hasan Shah, at the KDA Officers Club, Karachi, on April 13. 

Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, a former Administrator of the Karachi Metropolitan Corporation (KMC), was the chief guest in the ceremony which was attended by professionals from the various walks of life. 

Abdul Qadir Qureshi, a veteran journalist now heading PNFS, welcomed the two stalwarts, one from the field of library and information science and the other one being a career journalist. 

“Both these gentlemen, having proven track record in their respective professions, have now relocated to the United States (US) and interestingly they spend their summers in the nearby cities of Texas. We are fortunate enough to have roped them together for this evening,” Abdul Qadir Qureshi stated in his opening remarks. 

“Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, as we all know, is one of the founders of library and information science in Pakistan. His not-for-profit organization, Library Promotion Bureau (LPB), has served the cause of the profession for more than 50 years. Syed Masood-ul-Hasan Shah worked as the Director of Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) besides being its Karachi Bureau Chief. He was also posted as the APP Correspondent in Beijing China,” the PNFS founder recalled. 

Chief guest Rauf Akhtar Farooqui wholeheartedly praised both the visiting guests from the US for having excelled in their respective undertakings over a long period of time. 

Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, on the occasion, presented copies of a couple of his books to Rauf Akhtar Farooqui, who considered them worthy to be ranked among world’s best publications.

SSUET Chancellor greets eminent scholars

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi
(Pakistan News & Features Services)

Jawaid Anwar, Chancellor, Sir Syed University of Engineering and Technology (SSUET), Karachi, warmly welcomed Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari and Prof Dr Nasim Fatima, two of the most prolific library science scholars of the country, who called on him at the campus on April 6.

The SSUET Chancellor wholeheartedly congratulated the duo for their accomplishments in the field of library science, particularly their contribution in running the Library Promotion Bureau (LPB) for more than 50 years. 

“You have done an exceptional service to the nation. Your scholastic brilliance has inspired and motivated a lot of people of various generations. You have not only enriched the arena of library science but you have also made a significant contribution to Urdu literature. Your achievements merit wider recognition,” the Chancellor complimented. 

“It’s really marvelous that you have continued working with missionary zeal without caring for the support from the other stakeholders. That should be the spirit. We should do our best without waiting for others to do it. You have proved your selflessness by devoting your life to the cause of the profession without being materialistic at any stage,” Chancellor Jawaid Anwar added.

Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari and Prof Dr Nasim Fatima presented copies of their latest books to the SSUET Chancellor who gifted them a copy of his iconic publication ‘Muslim World Almanac’ to both the learned guests. 

The Chancellor shared the programmes being held in connection with the 200th birth anniversary of the legendary Sir Syed Ahmed Khan which is being celebrated during the current year by the Aligarh Muslim University Old Boys Association (AMUOBA) of which he is the President. 

Both the distinguished scholars appreciated the vision of the AMUOBA and they conveyed their best wishes for the success of the ongoing programmes aimed at educating the present generation about the monumental role of Sir Syed Ahmed Khan in the reawakening of Muslims of South Asia. 

“A lot has been written on Sir Syed over the years. But we need to keep reminding the youth in particular about the various aspects of his personality. More books should be published to highlight his contributions and the electronic and digital media should also be used for spreading the word,” they reckoned. 

The meeting was also attended by Arshad Khan, Secretary General, AMUOBA, and Dr Amna Khatoon, a member of Executive Committee of the Pakistan Library Association (PLA), Sindh Chapter.