Revitalization of literary institutions help enhance positive image of country: Irfan Siddiqui

ISLAMABAD, May 31 (APP):Advisor to Prime Minister on National History and Literary
Heritage (NH&LH), Irfan Siddiqui Thursday said revitalization of literary
institutions under his division is a matter of satisfaction for him and has
played significant role in projecting positive image of the country.
“These literary institutions will hopefully continue to
achieve landmarks in future through consistency and contribute to the
development of the country,” Irfan Siddiqui said while speaking during a
farewell reception arranged by the division in his honour.
He said the recently created Endowment Fund worth Rs. 500
million would help these institutions become self-sufficient, pursue literary
activities, conferences and seminars and help needy writers.
Irfan Siddiqui said the amount of stipends and awards for
literary persons have been doubled while the number of beneficiaries has also
been doubled.
Mentioning different projects of the division, he said,
construction of Faiz Ahmad Faiz Auditorium, launch of first-ever Urdu Digital
Dictionary with 2,64,000 words, approval of the project of `Pakistan Park’ to
be established at the premises of Quaid Mausoleum with Rs. three billion are
big achievements.
He said National Library of Pakistan (NLP) has been
transformed into an effective knowledge centre with addition of latest
facilities including a special computer lab for visually impaired persons, establishing Women Resource Center,
Braille Corner and digitization of 10,000 rare and old documents comprising over
53,00,000 pages which is under-completion.
Irfan Siddiqui said National Book Fair of National Book
Foundation (NBF) has been given the shape of a festival which would be arranged
every year to promote book reading culture among the youth.
Thanking the staff of the division, Irfan Siddiqui said this
is all the result of team work and hoped that the division will continue to
deliver with the same spirit in the future.
Speaking on the occasion, Federal Secretary on NH&LH,
Engineer Aamir Hasan paid tribute to the services of Irfan Siddiqui and said,
“Irfan Siddiqui although is a literary
personality but he with his strong administrative abilities taken the
institutions of this division to the new heights of success”.
Director General, National Language Promotion Department
(NLPD), Iftikhar Arif, Managing Director, NBF, Dr. Inam-ul-Haq Javed and Head
of Urdu Science Board, Dr. Nayyar Abbas also paid tribute to the contribution
of Irfan Siddiqui.
On this occasion, Federal Secretary, Aamir Hasan presented a
shield to Irfan Siddiqui.