99-year-old author inaugurates KFBL-WBD 2025 celebrations

By Abdul Qadir Qureshi

(Pakistan News & Features Services)

 

The 99-year-old famous scholar and commentator, Bashir Ahmad Khan, having authored a record number of 45 books, declared open the KFBL World Book Day 2025 celebrations, being produced by Jumbo Publishing, on April 21. 

“I, Bashir Ahmad Khan, the author of 45 books, do hereby declare open World Book Day celebrations of 2nd Karachi Festival of Books and Libraries 2025,” the 99-year-old celebrity announced in the presence of many other dignitaries present on the occasion. 

“Reading books, as you all know, offers multiple benefits, which include improved mental health, increased knowledge, enhanced vocabulary, and stress reduction,” he highlighted. “My heartiest congratulations to KFBL Co-founders, Aziz Memon and Syed Khalid Mahmood, organizers, supporters, volunteers and participants of this grand initiative. God bless you all. Pakistan Zindabad,” Bashir Ahmad Khan concluded. 

Dr Miftah Ismail, a former federal finance minister, also attended the ceremony alongwith the top officials of the Delhi Anglo-Arabic College and Schools Old Boys Association. 

The 10-day event of the 2nd Karachi Festival of Books and Libraries (KFBL) 2025, focused on World Book Day, will witness a flurry of activities engaging people of all age groups. 

It may be recalled that the KFBL, produced by Jumbo Publishing with the collaboration of the English-Speaking Union of Pakistan (ESUP), was inaugurated the President of Pakistan, Dr Arif Alvi, in March 2024.