In Baluchistan, a group of enthusiastic young individuals are taking strides to foster the love for reading.
Abid Ali and Bilal Ahmed have established a Readers Club in the city of Saryab, Quetta, with a primary mission to ignite a passion for books and reading.
They have made books more accessible than ever, delivering 400 books directly to the doorsteps of readers.
The club’s founders leverage social media, primarily Facebook, to connect with book enthusiasts.
By regularly posting images of books on their FB pages, they have created a virtual platform where people can explore a diverse range of reading materials.
“If someone finds a book they like, they simply message us with their address. A member of our team then delivers it to their doorstep,” says Abid Ali.
Naseeb Ullah, a lecturer and writer, proudly highlights the robust passion for books and reading that is prevalent in the region.
“In the small town of Gwadar,” he says, “books worth seven lakhs were sold during book fairs.”
Abid Ali emphasizes that there are many potential readers in Baluchistan who have limited access to libraries.
These include females, who are prevented by social taboos from moving around as freely.
Bilal describes how the Readers Club has bridged this gap.
“We have a dedicated group of regular readers. They read a book and either return it to us, or we collect it from them and provide a new one in exchange,”
This approach promotes a sense of community among book lovers while ensuring the continuous circulation of books.
The founders of Readers Club seek to expand their membership to other cities in Baluchistan, to awaken the passion for book reading across the province.