Bazm-e-Akram lauds Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari

Pakistan News & Features Services

Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari, Founder President, Library Promotion Bureau (LPB), Karachi, and Founder Chief Editor, Pakistan Library and Information Science Journal (PLISJ), was showered with praise in the annual get-together of the Bazm-e-Akram at Liaquat National Library, Karachi, on June 1.

Having relocated in North America a few years ago, Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari has made a point of visiting Pakistan everywhere and he has been editing the PLISJ besides publishing the LPB books even from there. 

He has a massive fan following in the community of Library and Informative Science throughout Pakistan and he is considered a living legend of the field, having a lot of admirers abroad as well. The Bazm-e-Akram was founded in 1976 by a group of his former students whom he taught at the University of Karachi.

Prof Dr Nasim Fatima, a former Chairperson of the Department of Library and Information Science at the University of Karachi, has been the livewire of the forum. She was in the forefront once more in organizing the annual get-together with the proactive support of Dr Amna Khatoon and Dr Nasreen Shagufta, both of them being her former students who went on to become successful library scientists. 

Their organizational capability was reflected in the grand success of the get-together in which the hall was packed to capacity with the pupils of Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari. The programme was conducted by Abdul Samad Ansari in a lively manner. 

All the speakers lavishly praised their beloved teacher and they proudly recalled their cherished memories with him over the years. They vowed to keep his mission alive by following in his footsteps. 

Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari remained as modest as ever in his speech on the occasion. He advised his students to remember the services of the founders of the LIS movement in Pakistan like Prof Dr Abdul Moid instead of continuing to hold programmes in his honour. 

“Prof Dr Abdul Moid had founded the LIS department at the University of Karachi. His contributions to the field of library science need to be recalled again and again to inspire the modern generation. His accomplishments were far too many and we should not forget him,” he suggested. 

Prof Dr Ghani-ul-Akram Sabzwari expressed the hope that the new generation of LIS professionals will work with greater enthusiasm to keep pace with the advancements in the technology. 

“I strongly believe that we don’t lack talent. But we need guidance and leadership. Our library scientists are energetic and willing. Let’s strive to provide them the resources and the environment to let their talents unfold,” he concluded.