ISLAMABAD: Federal Education Minister Dr Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui on Tuesday urged students, teachers and people at large to adopt the habit of reading.

“Books are your identity, and your identity shapes your destiny,” he added.

Addressing the inaugural ceremony of the three-day 11th National Book Festival, being held at Lok Virsa from November 25–27, the education minister said: “It is difficult to build identity without the pen and the book.”

Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of Education Farah Naz Akbar also attended the opening ceremony.

Mr Siddiqui emphasised the enduring importance of books as a pathway to knowledge, identity and long-term success.

Highlighting the religious significance of seeking knowledge, he noted that the first command in Islam is “Iqra” (Read) and stated, “Knowledge is the lost heritage of the believer.” He reminded the audience that Pakistan was founded in the name of religion, stressing the need to live life in accordance with its teachings.

“The greatest characteristic of knowledge is that the more one possesses, the more one realises how little it is,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, Parliamentary Secretary Education underlined the importance of book festivals in an age increasingly dominated by digital technology.

“Although we are living in a digital era—especially the era of tools like ChatGPT—we must not sever our relationship with books,” she stated.

“Today, children are mostly on mobile phones; while technology is important, reading books is equally essential,” she added.

Published in Dawn, November 26th, 2025