LARKANA: Larkana Deputy Com­missioner Javed Jagirani on Saturday inaugurated a book fair organised by the culture department at the Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto Memorial Library. Seven major publishers including the Sindhi Adabi Board, Sindhi Language Authority, Sindhica Academy, Kasho Publications and Nao Niyapo Publications, besides the culture department, have put a variety of books on display at the fair.

The fair attracted a large number of people who took keen interest in books on different subjects in the English, Sindhi and Urdu languages including a host of translated works of eminent authors.

Those attracting visitor’s special attention are the Sindhi Encyclopaedia comprising nine volumes and the reprinted version of Sir John Marshal’s book on Sindh’s archaeology that has been out of stock for long.

Some of the publishers have brought a variety of English and Sindhi literature for children to the fair.

Voracious readers at the fair, talking to Dawn looked happy to be there and appreciated the organiser’s initiative but felt that many a book in high demand were not put on sale.

They observed that Larkana has a gentry contributing enormously to politics, literature and other disciplines and, as such, books particularly foreign editions covering different subjects are always in demand here.

Students visiting various stalls were seen desperately searching for books relating to medical and engineering subjects. They said Larkana has major medical and engineering education institutions having hundreds of students and faculty from across the province. The fair was supposed to cater to their requirements vis-a-vis relevant books, they said. Some visitors said that old books published by the Sindhi Adabi Board should also be put on display and offered to buyers.

The fair attracted a decent number of buyers as discounts of up to 50 per cent were being offered.

This is the second book fair held in Larkana within a fortnight. The earlier one was organised by the Sindhica Academy from Dec 5 to 7 at the Abdul Latif Nizamani Labour Hall.

The ongoing fair will continue till Dec 16, said Shamsuddin Kalhoro, the assistant director in the culture department and librarian at the Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto Memorial Library. The sale would remain open from 9am to 9pm daily till the date, he added.

Published in Dawn, December 13th, 2015