KARACHI: The 13th Karachi International Book Fair kicked off in the metropolis as citizens especially students started flocking at Karachi Expo Center towards esteemed five-day International Book fair 2017 being held at. “Law and order situation betters, KIBF shows enhancement of education,” said Syed Nasir Hussain Shah Sindh Minister of Information and Transport, Syed Nasir Hussain Shah, said while addressing inauguration ceremony of the five-day Karachi International Book Fair 2017 that betterment in law and order situation of metropolis eased organization of each kind of fruitful events in Karachi. Shah praised concrete efforts of Pakistan Armed Forces and Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) who delivered sacrifices to establish long-lasting peacefulness in the economic hub of Pakistan. The minister praised KIBF organizers who made step forward to better soft image of Pakistan across the globe. While noticing crowd of local and international participants, Shah said successfulness of the mega book exhibition showed enhancement of book reading culture. Later, the provincial minister has officially inaugurated the event by cutting ribbon. While addressing the ceremony, renowned writer Satyapal Anand said that the fascinating event gave message commencement of book culture. He was of the view that book cannot be called older but it always gave the readers a new message whenever it got re-read. He highlighted the facts that book reading culture was not reduced in the nation called themselves ‘developed and cilivised’ where Internet facilities were present everywhere. Former information minister and writer, Javaid Jabbar, said the book fair played a vital role to foreground importance of book reading. He said that the nation is witnessing lack of researches in different sectors. Jabbar completely rejected the thought regarding reduction in book reading among nationals, saying that statistics showed contrary details. He reminded a US-based research that showed visible hike in books’ printing after major increase in book reading culture. The mega event was also addressed by renowned writers and journalists including Mehmood Sham, Qazi Asad Abid and Ovais Mirza Jameel. The event was also attended by columnist Zahida Hina, Educator Anwar Ahmedzai, Mansoob Hussain Siddiqui, renowned poet Seher Ansari and a large number of authors, poets and specialists of different sectors. The mega event was inaugurated by a prestigious ceremony held inside the Expo Center on Thursday; however, citizens were queued in huge numbers before official commencement of the fair. According to organizers, the event managed to attract around 1 million individuals on its first day. Published in Daily Times, December 8th 2017.