Education Minister Highlights Books as Foundation of Knowledge and Identity at 11th National Book Festival;

Education Minister Highlights Books as Foundation of Knowledge and Identity at 11th National Book Festival;
Minister for Federal Education and Professional Training (FE&PT), Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, on Tuesday emphasized the enduring importance of books as a pathway to knowledge, identity, and long-term success.
He was addressing the inaugural ceremony of the three-day 11th National Book Festival, being held at Lok Virsa from November 25–27, where Farah Naz Akbar, Parliamentary Secretary, Ministry of FE&PT, also participated.
Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui urged students, teachers and visitors to embrace the habit of reading, remarking, “Books are your identity, and your identity shapes your destiny.” He added that it is “difficult to build identity without the pen and the book.”
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 realizes how little it is,” he said.
Addressing the gathering, Parliamentary Secretary Farah Naz Akbar 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.
Sharing her personal experience, she said that reading books was a common practice during her childhood. “Today, children are mostly on mobile phones; while technology is important, reading books is equally essential,” she added.
Farah Naz Akbar also visited the book stalls and expressed confidence that such initiatives would continue in the future. She emphasized that these festivals play a vital role in nurturing a culture of reading among all citizens, especially the younger generation.