A poetry gathering was held at the auditorium of the Karachi Regional Office under the auspices of the National Book Foundation. Concerns were expressed at the gathering about the decline in book reading and the impact of technology on literature. Addressing the gathering, Member of National Assembly (MNA) Ahmad Saleem Siddiqui emphasized the importance of collective efforts to promote the institution as a national asset. He mentioned a shift away from books, attributing it to children receiving mobile devices as rewards instead of books.

Siddiqui expressed confidence that regular literary events could revive interest in book reading. Acknowledging the transformative power of artificial intelligence, he predicted it would render current technologies obsolete. However, he said that poets, writers, and intellectuals would remain irreplaceable. The MNA paid tribute to the institution’s director, Dr. Kamran Jahangir, as well as Karachi team members Mohsin Narejo and Ramsha Anjum for the success of the event. He termed the seminar a positive sign for the revival of Karachi’s literary scene. Narejo, the Karachi office manager, and Anjum, the program coordinator, thanked the participants. Presided over by Professor Dr. Khursheed Hashmi and hosted by poet Hamid Ali Syed, the event featured recitations by several Karachi poets. Special guests included poets Dr. Salman Siddiqui and Dr. Iqbal Peerzada.