THE only public library in Kamber Ali Khan, Sindh, was supposed to open its gates in 2016. Five years past the deadline, the building, still under construction, continues to wait for the day when it will be finally something in addition to being just a building; a library!

The pace of construction will make the proverbial snail look like a sprinter. The pace has remained embarrassingly slow despite several protests held by groups of students and members of civil society. It is not mere lethargy on the part of the labour force. It is sheer indifference on the part of the authorities, reflecting misplaced priorities and corrupt practices.

Local students have to travel to Larkana when they are in need of a library, and they hardly get to enter the library even there due to the increasing number of students coming to a single library. The problem for female students is naturally more acute.

The proposed library in Kamber Ali Khan should have been completed long ago, but the pace of work suggests the day is somewhere far in the future, if at all. If not for the local community, especially the youth, the authorities concerned may kindly consider completing the project for the sake of the building which wants to be something more than a mere building; a library!

M. Shahjahan Memon
Kamber Ali Khan

Published in Dawn, April 4th, 2021