Jumbo Karachi Guide: Abdul Qadir Qureshi’s dream debut as Chief Editor

Jumbo Editorial Team

Abdul Qadir Qureshi, whose career as a working journalist spans well over four decades, has the standout quality of undertaking the toughest of assignments and delivering in the nick of time. Meeting and beating deadlines have been the hallmark throughout his illustrious career.

He made the national news agency of the country proud by filing innumerable stories day in and day out for decades. His efficiency and consistency have remained unmatched in the profession. His contribution to the cause of the Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) has been legendary.

Jumbo Karachi Guide presented a different kind of challenge to Abdul Qadir Qureshi in the role of Chief Editor. But he brought all his expertise and experience into play and came up with a spectacular performance to put together the landmark publication.

Abdul Qadir Qureshi, widely recognized as the doyen of working journalists in Karachi, has always believed in letting his work to do the talking. He has done a commendable job by making Karachi’s first-ever comprehensive travel guide a real historic document. His selection of top-class articles in the inaugural issue has provided a head start to the project.

Jumbo Karachi Guide has been published by Jumbo Infomedia. It is spread over 148 pages of A-5 size in four-colour while being printed on Matt Finish paper with worthy resource material between the covers.

Jumbo Karachi Guide arrives

Jumbo Editorial Team

Jumbo Karachi Guide took a good number of years to be compiled, edited, produced and finally published. Its inaugural edition has arrived and the early feedback has been terrific.

It’s Karachi’s first-ever comprehensive travel guide. The paperback, published by Jumbo Infomedia, is spread over 148 pages of A-5 size in four-colour and it’s printed on Matt Finish paper with a wealth of information inside covers.

Jumbo Karachi Guide has been compiled by a team of vastly experienced journalists with the iconic figure of Abdul Qadir Qureshi being its Chief Editor.

Besides Karachi Important Telephone Numbers, Karachi Postal Area Codes, Karachi Facts and Chronology of events, the articles published with eye-catching and historic photographs of the city are Introducing Karachi, Modern Karachi, Climate of Karachi, From Kolachi to Karachi, Karachi’s Architectural heritage,Cultural history of Karachi, Karachi Tramway becomes a thing of past, Education remains identity of Karachi, Evolution of new media through blogging and social networking, Hub of business, Karachi Port continues to offer new opportunities, Enchanting beaches and coastline, Engagement in sports and recreation, Premier hotels of Karachi, Hot and spicy food, Shoppers Paradise for everyon’s delight, Multiplexes revive cinema culture in Karachi, My Karachi: Oasis of harmony, Hamara Karachi Festival rocks, Karachi International Book Fair gladdens bookworms, Fashion Week making waves in Karachi, Karachi Literature Festival illuminates literary scene and Social sector development in Karachi.

The maps of Pakistan, Sindh and Karachi have been printed separately while Practical Information section has the listings of Airlines, Ambulance Services, Art Galleries, Banks, Blood Banks, Booksellers, Breakfast & Brunch, Chocolates & Sweets, Cinemas, Clubs, Coach Services, Courier Services, Cultural Centres, Departmental Stores, Farm Houses, Fast Food, Florists, Foreign Mission, Fun Spots, Gift Shops, Golf Clubs, Handicrafts, Health Clubs, Hospitals, Hotels, Ice Cream Shops, Laboratories & X-ray Centres, Libraries, Medical Stores, Money Changers, Museums, Photo Colour Laboratories, Photographers, Rent A Car, Restaurants, Travel Agents and Tour Operators.

The handy book, priced Pak Rs 600, is available at all leading bookstores and it can also be obtained directly at the office of Jumbo Infomedia.

KIBF 2011 concludes on a high

Jumbo Editorial Team

After five action-packed days and evenings the curtain fell to the 7th Karachi International Book Fair 2011 at the Expo Centre in Gulshan-e-Iqbal on December 20. Quite remarkably the high intensity was sustained throughout the event with the total number of visitors estimated to be in the excess of 300,000.

There was as much activity on the fifth and final day as the one witnessed on the earlier four days. The people continued rushing in and all three halls were full even when the announcement for closure was made on the public address system late in the evening.

The ‘Activity Lounge’ also remained occupied until the final moments with lucky draws taken out by various participating stall holders. Quite a few books continued to be launched in the presence of luminaries of their respective fields.

The parking lots in and around the huge Expo Centre remained packed but thankfully everything was smoothly managed that allowed the traffic to move freely despite the rush of vehicles. The security systems at all gates functioned efficiently and it didn’t cause hindrance in movement of the hundreds of people who were disciplined enough to stand in long queues without complaining.

The organizers were complimented to have made excellent arrangements to facilitate what was believed to be the busiest five days of the year at the Expo Centre with the largest turnout in a single exhibition.

Mammoth weekend turnout at KIBF 2011

Jumbo Editorial Team

The 7th Karachi International Book Fair 2011 has already drawn huge crowds on the first three days and the total number of visitors at the five-day event of Expo Centre in Gulshan-e-Iqbal is expected to cross the magical figure of 300,000.

“Surely we have had a bigger turnout in this event than in the past editions which is a clear reflection of its growing popularity among the masses. The people of Karachi have a passion for reading and almost everyone coming here is returning with a shopper full of books,” Owais Mirza Jamil, Convener, KIBF, observed while talking to the media on December 18.

“Look people of all ages have reached this spot. They have come from different areas of the city. The parking lot is full with cars and motorcycles. Outside Expo Centre there is huge activity of public transport causing jams. Big queues are being witnesses at the entry points. The book culture is very much alive and kicking in Karachi,” he said while pointing towards the crowded halls and corridors.

Aziz Khalid, Chairman, Pakistan Publishers & Booksellers Association (PPBA), was also greatly satisfied with the large gathering on the first three days with even greater rush being anticipated on the last couple of days.

“The most heartening feature of the KIBF is the positive role of the young mothers who are constantly encouraging their tiny tots to purchase lots of books of their choice. These kids will definitely develop passion for reading from the childhood which augurs so well for the society,” he reckoned.

Nadeem Mazhar, a member of the Managing Committee of the 7th KIBF 2011, was also thrilled with the presence of thousands of bookworms, adding that the people of Karachi love to read books and they look forward to this fair throughout the year.

Soul Unshackled launch illuminates KIBF 2011

Jumbo Editorial Team

The Activity Lounge of the 7th Karachi International Book Fair 2011, being held at the Expo Centre, has remained occupied from the outset but it came to real life with the launch of the book titled ‘Soul Unshackled’ on December 17.

Paramount Publishing Enterprise has come up with yet another fantastic book, which has been authored by a youngster from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sohail Fida, whose dreams were shattered with his imprisonment. The Urdu translation of the book titled ‘Na Qafus Na Ashiyana’ was also launched simultaneously.

In the book, written in confinement, Sohail Fida has narrated the story how his life took an unexpected turn when he was arrested on suspicion of murder, falsely accused and tortured by the police into signing a confession for a crime he did not commit, sentenced to death by the local magistrate, and thrown into the dark dungeons of the death cell to await execution.

Iqbal Saleh Mohammad, Managing Director, Paramount Publishing Enterprise, delivered yet another thought-provoking welcome address, in which he precisely spoke on ills and weaknesses of the society.

Dr Masuma Hasan, a leading scholar, who is recognized as the first women Ph.D. as well as the first women Federal Secretary of Pakistan, was the chief guest in the launching ceremony which was presided over by Niaz Ahmed Siddiqui, Former Inspector General of Police, Sindh.

Agha Masood Hussain, a famous journalist and scholar, and Shakeel Farooqui, a former Controller of Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC) also shared their candidly during the ceremony, conducted nicely by Umbreen Mahar of Paramount Publishing Enterprise, lasting around 90 minutes.

Soul Unshackled to be launched at KIBF on December 17

Jumbo Editorial Team

Paramount Publishing Enterprise will launch another unique title in two languages which is a story of a young prisoner, who has completed his education while facing charges connected to the murder of a local boy in Swat.

The launching ceremony will be taking place at 4 pm on December 17 in the Hall Number 2 of the Expo Centre where the 7th Karachi International Book Fair 2011 is being held with great fanfare.

The book is being launched in two languages. While the edition in English has been titled ‘Soul Unshackled’ the book in Urdu has been named ‘Na Qafus Na Ashiyana.’

Dr Masuma Hasan,. Chairperson, Pakistan Institute of International Affairs (PIIA), and a former Ambassador, will be the chief guest in the launching ceremony to be presided over by Niaz Ahmed Siddiqui, Former Inspector General of Police, Sindh.

A large number of intellectuals, media professionals and the industry leaders are expected to grace the launch of a harrowing and heroic autobiographical account of a prisoner.

All roads lead to Expo Centre as KIBF 2011 opens

Jumbo Editorial Team

The areas surrounding the Expo Centre are buzzing with activity and there’s a lot of noise inside three halls since morning as the 7th Karachi International Book Fair (KIBF) 2011 was opened to the public at the designated time of 10 am on December 16.

The stalls have been tastefully decorated and there has been considerable rush of people of all ages from the moment the gates were opened on a Friday morning on which life generally is slow in Karachi.

There were students, clad in uniform, as well as teachers and professionals who not only visited the various stalls but also availed the opportunity of purchasing books in comparatively less crowded environment as more people are expected to pour in during the weekends.

The officials and volunteers of the KIBF are there at the reception area to greet and facilitate the visitors. The KIBF Convener, Owais Mirza Jamil, and the Chairman of the Pakistan Publishers & Booksellers Association (PPBA), Aziz Khalid, are supervising all the arrangements with the assistance of their team members.

A record number of 290 stalls have been set up in the KIBF 2011 which promises to become the largest event of its kind in Pakistan.

Record number of 290 stalls being set up in Karachi International Book Fair 2011

Jumbo Editorial Team

A record number of 290 stalls are being set up in the 7th Karachi International Book Fair 2011which will be held at the traditional venue of Expo Centre in Gulshan-e-Iqbal where more than 250,000 visitors are expected this time round.

The announcement in this regard was made by Owais Mirza Jamil, Convener, KIBF, in the media briefing held at Hotel Pearl Continental on December 14. The foreign participation was being expected from India, Iran, Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand and Turkey.

“The KIBF 2011 will be the biggest-ever publishing and bookselling event of the country yet with 290 stalls to be spread over three halls of the spacious Expo Centre. Besides the foreign participants there will be presence of the outstation exhibitors who have shown great enthusiasm,” he disclosed.

Aziz Khalid, Chairman, Pakistan Publishers & Booksellers Association (PPBA), added that the Indian contingent will be the biggest from abroad while quite a few leading names from Lahore have already arrived with their giant containers loaded with books of all kinds.

He acknowledged the support of the National Book Foundation (NBF), an organ of the Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan, besides thanking the Pakistan Library Association (PLA) for having come on board to accomplish their mutual objective of promoting book culture in the country.

The Managing Committee of the 7th KIBF 2011 comprises of Owais Mirza Jamil (Elite Publishers), Waqar Matin Khan (Emkay Books), Ahsan Jaffri (Say Publishing), Aziz Khalid (Urdu Academy), Iqbal Saleh Mohammad (Paramount Books), Kamran Noorani (Pakistan Law House), Khawar Iftikhar (Nafees Academy), Mohammad Iqbal Gaziani (Progressive International Agencies), Mohammad Nadeem Akhtar (Children Book Shop), Nadeem Mazhar (Sindhi Kitab Ghar), Saleem Abdul Hussain (Liberty Books) and Syed Nasir Hussain (Publishers Marketing Associates).

Karachi International Book Fair 2011 attracts massive media attention

Jumbo Editorial Team

The media briefing of the 7th Karachi International Book Fair (KIBF) 2011, held at Hotel Pearl Continental on December 14, attracted larger gathering than anticipated, much to the delight of the organizers and the event managers. There was adequate representation from the print, electronic and digital media.

The crowded media briefing appeared to be the perfect start for the 7th KIBF 2011 to be held at the Expo Centre from December 16 to 20. It was announced that although the exhibition will get underway on December 16, as scheduled, but the formal opening ceremony will be held the following day in which Pir Mazhar-ul-Haq, Sindh Minister of Education, will be the chief guest.

The high turnout of media professionals and the thought-provoking interactive session reflected their concerns for the decline in readership habits in the society besides highlighting the willingness to contribute their bit in promoting healthy activities.

Aziz Khalid, Chairman, Pakistan Publishers & Booksellers Association (PPBA) and Owais Mirza Jamil, Convener, KIBF, were more than happy to take the questions from the media and they came up with befitting and detailed replies.

The National Book Foundation (NBF) and the Pakistan Library Association (PLA), who are partnering the PPBA in holding the KIBF, were also being represented by their key officials in the media briefing which lasted just over an hour.

Karachi International Book Fair 2011 set to commence on December 16

Jumbo Editorial Team

All is set for the seventh edition of the Karachi International Book Fair (KIBF) to get underway at the Expo Centre on December 16. The event will be launched with a media briefing at a five-star hotel of the city a couple of days earlier.

The KIBF, to be organized by the Pakistan Publishers & Booksellers Association with the collaboration of the National Books Foundation, an organ of the Ministry of Education, Government of Pakistan, will continue until December 20 and the entry to be exhibition will be free of cost.

The organizers are confident about the success of the event as the temperature has finally dropped after an extended summer that witnessed scorching sun during the day until the end of November.

The KIBF 2011 is expected to draw as big a crowd as the ones in the last six years. With elaborate arrangements being made to make the event more interactive the turnout is likely to be bigger than before.

As in the past, the KIBF 2011 will bring together domestic and international publishers, booksellers, librarians and institutional customers, agents and authors who will be showcasing their proud products to a knowledgeable audience.

The positive response to the event from the outset has made it the largest book fair to be held in the country. It has grown in stature over the years.

Portugal to host 16th International Conference on Electronic Publishing in June 2012

Jumbo Editorial Team

The 16th International Conference on Electronic Publishing will be held on June 14 and 15, 2012 at the University of Minho in Portugal’s famous city of Guimarães with the theme of Social Shaping of Digital Publishing: Exploring the interplay between Culture and Technology.

The organizers are welcoming a wide variety of papers from members of the communities whose research and experiments are transforming the nature of electronic publishing and scholarly communications.

The topics included but are not restricted to these seven main areas are Digital Scholarship, Open Access and Open Science, Interoperability and the Intelligent Web, The Social and Mobile Web, The legal, secure and trustful Web, Innovative interfaces, interaction and visualization, Failures and learnings and The future of Digital Publishing. The deadline for submission of full-text papers and extended abstracts in all categories is Janauary 9, 2012.

The best papers accepted for Elpub 2012, are planned to be published in a special issue of the Journal “Information Services & Use” (IOS Press). All submitted papers will have opportunities for consideration for this Special Journal Issue.

Guimarães is an historical city settled in the 9th century. It’s called the “birthplace of the Portuguese nationality" or "the cradle city" as it was from here that their first king, Afonso Henriques, had started to conquer land to form the kingdom of Portugal.

Located in northern Portugal, Guimarães’ historical centre is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and jointly with Maribor, is going to be European Capital of Culture in 2012: Guimarães 2012. It ranks at sixth position in the "Lonely Planet's Best in Travel: Top 10 cities for 2012". It is sought throughout the year for tourism, but in summer the number of tourists is at its peak.

The University of Minho, founded in 1973, is renowned for quality and competence of teachers, for excellence in research, the wide range of training graduate and postgraduate education and the high level of interaction with other institutions.

For these reasons, it occupies a central position in the region, an important national reference and a recognized partner both at an European and at a global scale. It has a campus in Braga and besides the one in Guimarães.

Revamped Jumbo Publishing website launched

Jumbo Editorial Team

Jumbo Publishing has launched its revamped website www.jumbopublishing.com which offers customers greater knowledge about its books in addition to important news and updates.

The newly designed website is user-friendly that makes it easy for the customer to find and learn about Jumbo Publishing’s books.

The customers can easily read a review of the book they are interested in. They can also order it very conveniently by downloading and printing the form and sending it over with the cheque/draft of the appropriate amount.

Three latest articles from the blog of Jumbo Publishing, www.jumbopublishing.blogspot.com appear on the home page and the visitors can access them rather comfortably.

The launch of our newly redesigned website is in line with Jumbo Publishing’s philosophy of spreading knowledge and providing the best possible services to its customers.

Farzana Shafique successfully completes PhD

Jumbo Editorial Team

Farzana Shafique, working as a Lecturer in the Department of Library & Information Science at Islamia University of Bahawalpur, has successfully completed her PhD, vide University of the Punjab notification dated November 24, 2011, under the supervision of Prof Dr Khalid Mahmood.

The topic of her thesis was "Model Information System for Educational Administrators in Pakistan". This was announced by Prof. Kanwal Ameen, Chairperson, Department of Library & Information Science, University of the Punjab, Lahore.

Dr Farzana Shafique, whose fields of interest include Information Science, Information System and Research Methods, has been hailed on her accomplishment by the fellow Library & Information Science professionals. She is even being acclaimed as role model for the female folks.

Having contributed numerous research papers in national and international LIS journals, she has had a successful career already, having clinched a prestigious international award last year. She was one of the two winners in the 2010 ASIST SIG-III International Paper Contest for which numerous quality submissions were made from different corners of the world.

“The Role of Educational Information Systems for Survival in Information Society and the Case of Pakistan,” was the paper she co-authored with Dr Khalid Mahmood, Professor, Department of Library & Information Science, University of the Punjab, earning the glory.

“Adoption and use of computer technology among school principals in Botswana secondary schools,” by Angelina Totolo, Department of Library and Information Studies, University of Botswana, Botswana, was the other outstanding paper in that contest in which the panel of reviewers comprised of Johannes Britz (UW-Milwaukee), Maria Haigh (UW-Milwaukee), Catherine Johnson (Western Ontario), Anindita Paul (University of Missouri), Hong Xu (University of Pittsburgh) and Borchuluun Yadamsuren (University of Missouri).

2009 was another memorable year for Farzana Shafique when she was appointed as Lecturer in Library & Information Science, on regular basis in BS-18, at Islamia University of Bahawalpur. She was already working on contract basis at the same position for the previous 18 months.

Record visitors, sales in Sharjah International Book Fair 2011

Jumbo Editorial Team

The 30th edition of the Sharjah International Book Fair, held under the patronage of His Highness Dr Shaikh Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, is reported to have attracted more than half a million visitors and the sales of books exceeded all expectations.

The sales of books reportedly surpassed $50 million (Dh183 million), with an increase of 25 per cent from last year's session, where Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Oman, Iran and the UAE came among the most countries with sales focus.

During the closing ceremony held on November 26, His Highness Shaikh Dr Sultan Bin Mohammad Al Qasimi, Supreme Council Member and Ruler of Sharjah, stressed that the great success of the 30th edition of the book fair was a result of 30 years of hard work and cultural accumulation of the emirate, built on solid foundations.

"We are not seeking the quantum of what we offer from cultural programmes, but we are keen to have diversity in all our cultural programmes that serve different segments of intellectuals. Without a doubt, the overwhelming response received by the various cultural programmes of the Book Fair is an evidence of the success of these programmes,” Shaikh Sultan observed adding he plans to meet with Emirati writers and intellectuals so that they can enhance the cultural vision and its development in the UAE.

Up to 90 publishers representing 50 countries participated in this year's 10-day book fair that offered about 300,000 titles. Award-winning Arabic novels witnessed a large interest from visitors, attracting 580,000 visitors coming from around the world.

"Since its inception 30 years ago, the 30th edition of the book fair witnessed the unexpected as we received a large crowd of visitors and media outlets, as well as from Arab and international publishers," Ahmad Al Ameri, Director of Sharjah International Book Fair, stated announcing that the year's event will take place in November 2012.

Change of guard at New England Mobile Book Fair

Jumbo Editorial Team

Tom Lyons has become new owner of Newton-based New England Mobile Book Fair, the region’s largest independent bookseller, having taken over recently.

"Pretty much everybody I talk to loves books and reads books and wants their children to feel and put their hands on a book,’’ Lyons observed after buying out the iconic 54-year-old bookstore from the Strymish family, who had put it up for sale a year ago. The deal was brokered by Ridge Hill Partners Inc. of Needham, but the terms of sale were not released.

“Tom impressed each of us with his commitment and passion for the Book Fair, as well as his respect for my family’s legacy. We wish him success as he guides the Book Fair into the future,” Jon Strymish, whose family founded the business, remarked in his statement, confirming the sale.

The 66-year-old Lyons is very much well versed with the importance of moving the business forward, while preserving what its loyal clientele love about the place. Hailing from Brookline, he spent his career in the insurance industry and more recently as an independent management consultant. He’s also written a Western, which he’s hoping to publish, and is working on a couple of mysteries.

"We’ve got to do this carefully. Essentially what I want to do is keep the charm,” he stated.

He’s kicking off the important holiday shopping season by stocking up on bestsellers and children’s books, adding some specialty items, and beefing up the store’s renowned remainder section.

Next year, other changes will slowly unfold. Lyons desires to sponsor author events at the store, create a more family-friendly children’s section, and invite the area’s professors and professionals to give advice on what specialty books to sell. He also plans to computerize the inventory.

"I've got to. I have a difficult time browsing for a mystery to go by publisher by publisher by publisher. Some people come for a book and some people come to relax,” Lyons emphasized, adding that it’s no easy task to reorganize over a million books, so "it’s going to take time.’’

Dr Fouzia Saeed’s Forgotten Faces launched at Lok Virsa

Jumbo Editorial Team

“Forgotten Faces: Daring woman of Pakistan Folk Theatre” authored by Dr Fouzia Saeed was launched at Lok Versa in Islamabad on November 25.

“Women have and play a vital role in the success of theatre, in taking entertainment to the people, yet they are not given their due credit,” Dr Fouzia Saeed observed during her speech at the book launch ceremony which was attended by National Heritage and Integration Federal Secretary, Faridullah Khan, veteran actor and the wife of renowned singer Inayat Hussain Bhatti, Naznin Mano, along with a number of intellectuals and civil society members.

Dr Fouzia Saeed, who is a PhD from the University of Minnesota, disclosed that she started research on Pakistan’s folk theatre in 1980 and has observed women “perform daringly in theatre”. She felt that entertainment and creativity arts were closed to women.

The book is focused on the life of Bali Jatti, a renowned theatre actress who spent her life promoting Punjabi folk theatre. But as the author dwells deeper into Jatti’s life, she reveals a story not of fame and fortune but of tragedies and violence.

Bali Jatti, the first women to own a travelling stage theatre in Punjab, did not allow her daughter to join her profession. She knew of the stigmas that marred it.

Speaking on the occasion, Abida, Jatti’s daughter, said that she’s proud for someone in the country wrote a book on her mother, who played a constitutive role in showbiz. She said her mother made her name at a time when there was no media.

Fatima Jinnah Women University’s Head of Communication Department, Dr Shamim Zaidi, said that the book takes the reader “onto a journey hand-in-hand with the author, describing the book as a collage of our artists, our culture and traditions which paints the picture of the world of these artists inwards.

Abbas Jutt, son of the famous folk singer Ashiq Butt, and Samia Akhtar, the grand daughter of Bali Jatti enthralled the audience by singing a few famous folk songs.

Odyssey of a Sailor launched at PNS Karsaz

Jumbo Editorial Team

'Odyssey of a Sailor' authored by Rear Admiral Syed Zahid Hasnain was launched at the Crescent Hall of PNS Karsaz, Karachi, on November 24 in which Chief of the Naval Staff, Admiral Mohammad Asif Sandila, was the guest of honour.

The Naval Chief described the book as an invaluable narration of the author’s experiences, giving an insight into the trials and tribulations of Pakistan navy during the formative years of the country.

Admiral Asif Sandila said that the book was a living account of a visionary naval officer who had an extraordinary career spanning over 41 years and the Pakistan Navy was grateful to those pioneers who laid the foundation of such a fine service.

Rear Admiral Zahir Shah made a slide presentation of the images in the book and said that the work would prove to be a useful contribution to the naval literature.

The author, Rear Admiral Syed Zahid Hasnain said that the motto of Karsaz, "the impossible we do now, miracles take a little longer" stayed with him during his whole professional life at Karsaz, at Karachi Shipyard and also at the Karachi Port Trust.

He said that during the long period of his job, he had not been involved in any great naval battles or expeditions, but served as an ordinary naval officer both at sea and ashore doing his duty to the best of his abilities.

"On 14th August 1947, the flag of the new country Pakistan was hoisted on our ships that were docked in Bombay. I was posted there to oversee repairs and refits before sending our share of the ships off to Karachi. With the division of assets, a few ships mostly old came to Pakistan's share and the balance went to India,” he recalled.

“The Pakistan Navy had just three engineer officers including myself. In our new country, there were shortages of everything. There was little money, no tables and chairs, no office space, no motor boats, no transport, no depots and no spares of course. We had to start every thing from scratch. There was even no broadcasting station and the first transmission of the Quaid-e-Azam was broadcast by Pakistan Radio from HMPS Godavri," the author pointed out.

The launch ceremony concluded with vote of thanks, presented by Tayabba Habib of SAMA Editorial and Publishing Services.

Brief Profile: Prof Farhat Hussain

Jumbo Editorial Team

Prof Farhat Hussain has been associated with the profession of teaching for the past 16 years. He had started his career as a lecturer in the Department of Library and Information Science at the University of Karachi in 1995 and he was promoted as Assistant Professor in 2001.

After doing BSc as well as LLB from the University of Karachi, he did Masters in Library and Infromation Science having secured first class first position from the same institution in 1987. He was also awarded SPIL gold medal by the University.

He served as a librarian in the Federal Government Urdu College (now University) from 1993 to 1995 prior to having a three-year stint at The News, Jang Group of Newspapers, as a Research and Reference Librarian from 1990 to 1993.

He has been actively involved in research initiatives. His research reports entiled 'Automation in Unversity Libraries of Karachi' and 'Newspaper Offices Libraries in Karachi' were handy efforts while he has already supervised as many as 13 research thesis of masters level since 2000.

Prof Farhat Hussain participated as focal person in the seminars staged at Islamic World Science Citation Centre in Tehran, Iran, in October 2010. He was has attended numerous conferences organized by the Pakistan Library Association (PLA). He was elected as Secretary of PLA (Sindh Branch)in 2009 while has been editing their newsletter since 2007.

**Prof Farhat Hussain has reviewed Crash of the Titans

Book Review: Crash of the Titans

By Prof Farhat Hussain

The recent launch of the Twenty20 Internationals rankings by the International Cricket Council (ICC) is a testimony of the growing popularity of the shortest version of the game that has indeed taken the world by storm.

The ICC move of issuing T20I rankings, on the lines of Tests and One-day Internationals, very clear suggests that the governing body has the plans to bring it at par with the other two established forms of the game.

T20 cricket has grown tremendously during the last few years and the ICC rankings will surely boost it further with every participating cricketer well aware of the fact that his performance will earn points and placement.

Crash of the Titans, an account of ICC World Twenty20 2010, is authored by Ehsan Qureshi, who is a famed sports journalist and analyst, having covered numerous international sporting events in his three-decade long career.

It is published by Jumbo Publishing, Gulshan-e-Iqbal, Karachi. The book being reviewed is their eighth publication on sports. To my knowledge it’s the first-ever book to appear on T20 cricket in Pakistan for which the author and the publishers deserve the credit.

It’s a very attractive and informative book, containing 162 pages. Having hardbound title, the inside pages are printed on art paper with as many as 48 pages in four colours. The layout is excellent with a lot of design elements.

England’s twin delight and Pakistan buried under Hussey’s onslaught after roller-coaster entry into semis are the two major articles that summarize the whole event which was held in the West Indies in April-May 2010.

There are reports, photographs and scorecards of all 27 matches, starting from the opening game between New Zealand and Sri Lanka on April 30 to the final between Australia and England on May 16.

The statistics also provide handy information. Besides the analysis of the tournament itself there is a section of T20I records in general that should be of considerable interest to the readers.

***For further details about Crash of the Titans, please write to jumbopublishing@yahoo.com or call Asad Raza at 0333-2304024

Modern Library of Indonesia book series launched at Singapore Writers Festival

Jumbo Editorial Team

Modern Library of Indonesia book series was launched by Lontar Foundation in Singapore recently. The event was supported by Indonesian Embassy in Singapore and Singapore’s National Arts Council and held in conjunction of the Singapore Writers Festival 2011.

The event started with an opening speech by Fachry Sulaiman, Counsellor of Information, Social and Cultural affairs, Indonesian Embassy in Singapore and Khor Kok Wah, Deputy Chief Executive Officer, National Arts Council of Singapore. The ceremony was attended by over 80 people, concluding with a book-signing and meet-the-author session with the two featured writers from the book series.

“Being in multi-racial Singapore, we want to promote cross-cultural communication through literature,” Khor observed in his opening speech.

John McGlynn, heading the Board of Trustees of Lontar Foundation, disclosed that the organization was a non-profit and dedicated to promote Indonesian literature and culture with one of its projects being the translation of Indonesian classics so as to engage greater audience worldwide.

During the event, excerpts of works from two featured writers who were present at the event, Oka Rusmini and Putu Wijaya, were read. The launch was also marked with an Oleg Tambulilingan performance, a Balinese dance, which gave a visual and aural treat to the audience. The dance aptly described the launch as a celebration of eternal beauty in the vast world.

Putu Wijaya shared with the audience some of the messages that he attempted to pen down in his literature pieces. He also believed that “Freedom does not give you the license to do as you wish”.

“With limited support (from the Indonesian government), I am glad that we are moving Indonesian literature to the international audiences,” Oka Rusmini shared her excitement during the book launch.

Currently, there are 11 titles in this Modern Library of Indonesia book series, including works from Indonesian artists such as Marah Rusli and Abdoel Moeis.

“We are planning to translate more Indonesian classics as well as children books to engage the young readers,” John McGlynn disclosed when enquired about the future plan of the foundation.

Darren Tieste’s The Beauty Book for Brain Cancer launched in Hollywood

Jumbo Editorial Team

Australian photographer Darren Tieste’s latest work ‘The Beauty Book for Brain Cancer’ was launched at Grauman’s Chinese Theater in Hollywood on November 14. The book has the support of the biggest identities in the world having been photographed for a noble cause.

The Beauty Book is a hard cover 312-page coffee table book with images of celebrities, musicians and top models. All the monies raised, will go directly to brain cancer via two charities called SNOG & HEADRUSH. These charitable organizations are non-profit and both rely on donations for research.

Darren Tieste founded this project in February 2009 after losing his dear friend, Natalie Sattler Esposito to brain cancer in September 2008 when she was 35 years old.

“This is one friend's life that was cut way to short, so I used all my Hollywood connections to give brain cancer a voice and The Beauty Book was born. In April 2010 I was introduced to an amazing person "Pantera" Sarah Uphoff, whose mom at the time was battling brain cancer, Louise Uphoff. Pantera joined forces with me to rally many of her super star Celebrity friends to be photographed for The Beauty Book,” the noted photographer observed.

“During the 2nd year of photographing people for this project her Mom Louise lost her battle with this disease in July 2011. Pantera and I have never been more determined to raise mega dollars for brain cancer research. 17,000 Americans, 2000 Australians and 280,000 worldwide are diagnosed with brain tumors every year. Brain cancer is one of the leading cause's in cancer-related deaths in patients younger than 35,” Darren Tieste pointed out.

It had been a while since there was a really top-class “beauty book” from a noted artist within their respective industry, after Kevin Aucoin’s ‘Making Faces’ which has changed with the arrival of Darren Tieste’s publication.

The goal with the release of the book is to obviously raise money, but it goes deeper than just raising money. The proceeds would go into an account that would in turn be invested and managed by an entity called the UW Foundation to ensure that the interest earned what would be used by medical researchers to continue their work in brain tumor research without ever touching the principal, therefore insuring that there will be funds available for medical research down the line.

Kitabain.com team up with Royal Book Company

Jumbo Editorial Team

Kitabain.com, a centralized platform where individual sellers or bookstores can instantly make their inventory available online using their automated system and where buyers can browse for and purchase books put up by numerous booksellers all in one place, has recently teamed up with Royal Book Company whose publications are now available for purchase to their members.

The Karachi-based Royal Book Company is one of the oldest publishers, importers and distributors of books on a wide range of topics. They have now joined hands with Kitabain.com to share their book lists with them for onward distribution to their members.

General History, Philosophy, Biographies, Religion, Art & Architecture, Law, International Relations, Political Science, Military Strategy, Sports, Engineering, Medical, Business, Computer Studies and Management are some of the subjects on which the books have been published by Royal Book Company.

Kitabain.com, on their part, has simplified procedure for the purchase of these books and to place an order only the title and author of the book along with the category it belongs to has to be mentioned in the order form. The process could be even smoother when ‘Royal Books Order’ is mentioned in the title of the email. They will handle the logistics/payment collection of the delivery as for all other orders.

The joint efforts of Kitabain.com and Royal Book Company should be helpful in facilitating the bookworms as well as the students, who now have the opportunity to place an order online from a larger pool of books.

Republished ‘Pakistan: The Heart of Asia’ launched with grace and poise

Jumbo Editorial Team

Glowing tributes were paid to Liaquat Ali Khan, Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, whose collection of speeches titled ‘Pakistan: The Heart of Asia’ was re-launched with grace and poise at the Manzar Akbar Hall of the Arts Council of Pakistan on November 11.

The book, containing speeches made by Liaquat Ali Khan during his maiden visit to the USA and Canada in 1950, was first published by the famed Harvard University Press more than six decades ago. Now the book has been republished, with the permission of the original publishers, by Paramount Publishing Enterprise, one of the leading publishing houses of Pakistan.

One of the features of the republished edition is an introduction authored by Dr Samiullah Koreshi, a former Pakistan Ambassador, in which he has attempted to set the record straight on matters relating to Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, having been debated for long.

Jamsheed Marker, the most famous of cricket commentators of his generation who was also one of the longest serving diplomats, was the chief guest in the launching ceremony, presided over by Syed Mehdi Masood, himself a former ambassador and a renowned intellectual.

“Liaquat Ali Khan sacrificed everything, including his life, for Pakistan. He was instrumental in the creation of Pakistan and then he held Pakistan together in the most difficult days of the country. His simplicity and spirit were incredible,” Jamsheed Marker, who had a close friendship with Pakistan’s first Prime Minister, remarked while shared his personal experiences with the great leader.

Syed Mehdi Masood, punctuating his address with poetic verses, described Liaquat Ali Khan as a visionary leader, who played the pivotal role in the settlement of millions of refugees who had crossed the border at the time of the creation of Pakistan.

Iqbal Saleh Mohammad, Managing Director, Paramount Publishing Enterprise, delivered a thought-provoking speech, mentioning Liaquat Ali Khan as his hero.

Agha Masood Hussain, an eminent journalist and scholar, in his brief speech, talked about the monumental contribution of Liaquat Ali Khan in giving Pakistan a balanced foreign policy.

Mahfooz-un-Nabi Khan, President, Quaid-e-Millat Liaquat Ali Khan Memorial Society, delivered the welcome address while the vote of thanks, quite appropriately, was presented by Ashraf Liaquat Ali, the proud son of Pakistan’s first Prime Minister. Umbreen Mahar of Paramount Publishing Enterprise read out the preface of the book while the ceremony was conducted by Naqqash Kazmi, a notable poet and member Managing Committee, Arts Council of Pakistan.