LARKANA: Book fairs play a fundamental role in developing students’ interest in reading and such events help resume their engagement with books instead of technology.

This was stated by the president of the Government Secondary Teachers Association (GSTA), Larkana District, G.M. Abro, at a two-day “Book Fair” began on Wednesday by the association at Municipal Higher Secondary School Larkana. It was the third book fair.

It was inaugurated jointly by G.M. Abro and school principal Mir Muhammad Khokhar.

Publishers offered a discount from 30 per cent to 50pc on books in Sindhi, English and Urdu put in the exhibition. The schools participated in the event included Government Pilot Higher Secondary School, St. Joseph School, Islamic Seminary School, Government Boys High School Baharpur, Shaikh Zaid High School, DC High School, Rahmat Pur High School. Students attended the event in a large number and bought books of their choice.

On the occasion, G.M. Abro donated books worth Rs10,000 to the municipal school’s library.

A teacher, Abdul Rasheed Abbasi, displayed a model for generating electricity from water.

The GSTA president urged all teachers and students to “buy books and read books because books guide us towards our destination”. He announced that the GSTA would organise similar book fairs across the Larkana district.

A GSTA leader, Ali Hassan Khokhar, said that seeing students’ interest in books today makes it clear that books are still our best friends. Nations that love books never decline. Writer and poet Baqaullah Bozdar said that books are a person’s best companion. Such events encourage love for books. He congratulated the entire team of the municipal school Larkana for organising the fair.

Another GSTA leader Nazar Muhammad Mughiri said that the association not only struggles for teachers’ rights but also plays a vital role in creating a better educational environment. “We fully support such book fairs,” he said.

“We will also try to organise book fairs in other schools also.”

Principal Khokhar said the school has been serving in the field of education since 1867. Even today, he said, the school is counted among the role-model educational institutions of Sindh.

He said that today’s book fair would always be remembered in the school’s history.

Writer and author Issa Memon also spoke on the occasion.

Published in Dawn, December 4th, 2025