Larkana: The members of All Sindh Readers Forum took out a large rally which after marching through various major roads culminated at Jinnah Bagh here on Sunday demanding opening of all public and private libraries across Sindh.
Protesters Sajad Ali Shah, Mahtab Mirani, Muhammad Azam Dahri, Farman Memon said while talking to newsmen that all libraries have been forcibly closed since past five months due to coronavirus pandemic and the educated people including students have been deprived of reading books to enhance their knowledge.
They said our parents are also extremely worried because many of us intend to appear in the next competitive examinations of the federal and provincial service commissions and want to prepare ourselves for the gazette jobs. They said most of the students live in backward areas and belong to poor families hence cannot afford to procure costly books hence they avail the facilities of libraries.
They said lockdown has been eased, markets, shops and marriage halls have been opened but it is a pity that most essential libraries are still closed due to which we are of the considered opinion that education is not the priority of the present rulers which is very sad. They said the standard of education is constantly declining and closing educational institutions including libraries for long will certainly increase illiteracy in the province which cannot be tolerated by any educated society.
They urged the provincial rulers to not only open Sir Shahnawaz Bhutto Memorial Library in Larkana but all libraries in Sindh must also be opened for readers so that students could be able to read and prepare themselves for securing their future or else, they warned, they will expand their protests to all districts.