LAHORE: (Saturday, March 9, 2024): Pakistan's largest three-day book fair organized by Punjab University has ended in which more than 80 thousand books were sold in the first two days. On the third day also, the book fair was crowded with citizens.

On the third day of the book fair, Provincial Minister for School Education Rana Sikandar Hayat, Ameer Jamaat-e-Islami Sirajul Haq, Jamaat-e-Islami Secretary General Liaqat Baloch, PU VC Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood, Chairman Institute for Legal Research and Advocacy Syed Shahbaz Bukhari, Senior Journalists Salman Ghani, Farrukh Sohail Goindi, Salman Abid, Altaf Hasan Qureshi, Najam Wali Khan, Yasir Pirzada, Director Co-ordination PHEC Dr Tanveer Qasim, lawyers, doctors, writers, poets, teachers, students and people from all walks of life along with their families were present.

In his address, Rana Sikandar Hayat has said that books play a very important role in the development of knowledge, for which the book fair organized in PU is good effort. He said that it was very nice to come to the book fair and I was very happy to see the books read in the past.

He said that there is a very close relationship between education and books and it was great to see books on various topics under one roof. He said that the Chief Minister of Punjab has asked to make old book banks in schools. He said that the society should benefit from the departments of PU. He said that they are working on a better education policy so that the future of students can be made better. He said that there is a vision to make government schools better than private schools for which steps are being taken. He said that there is no way for the development of the country and the nation apart from education.

He praised the VC Prof Dr Khalid Mehmood for restoring the beautiful tradition of PU. Siraj ul Haq visited various stalls and took special interest in books on various topics. Talking to the media, he said that the government should allocate 5 percent of the GDP for education. He said that PU has done great favors to the country and the nation and it is a pleasure that the book fair was organized again after the long break.

He said that we have to build libraries and sports fields. He said that development of a nation is not possible without knowledge. He said that Muslims prevailed in the world as long as the relationship with the book remained strong. He said that PU is grateful to the publishers for giving a good discount in the book fair. He said that the government should fulfill all the needs of teachers and students. He said that the problems of the universities have increased due to lack of financial support.

He said that Vice Chancellor Punjab University Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood and his team deserve appreciation for promoting study habits. PU VC Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood appreciated the efforts of all the members of the book fair coordination committee and Chief Librarian Dr. Haroon Usmani for making the best arrangements for the largest three-day book fair of Pakistan organized by PU after 9 years.

He said that hundreds of thousands of people participated in the Book Fair and the purchase of books is proof that they have been successful in achieving their goal of promoting book literacy. He hoped that this tradition of book fair in Punjab University will continue in the coming years.