President for promoting culture of book reading

Islamabad : President Dr Arif Alvi on Wednesday directed to take necessary actions aimed at greater access of the visually impaired to books and knowledge.

Chairing a meeting to review the role and performance of National Book Foundation (NBF) at Aiwan-e-Sadr, the president said that intellectual and individual development was possible by promoting the culture of book reading in the country.

He said the availability of books and knowledge in braille for the visually impaired was a welcome move.

During the meeting, NBF Managing Director Dr Raja Mazhar Hameed briefed the president about the role and performance of the Foundation. He said the National Book Foundation was taking measures for the people affected by dyslexia.

The meeting was told that the Foundation was preparing books for the dyslexic children from class prep to 8th that would be available during the academic year 2024-25. It was informed that the Foundation’s Braille Press in Karachi was providing the books to the visually impaired for Rs10 only.

The books would help increase the access of visually impaired children to education. "The Foundation would issue the books for the visually impaired children of class prep to 8th of 431 schools of Islamabad.”

It was informed in the meeting that the NBF was publishing books in braille on a range of topics and it was also ensuring the availability of books in Pakistan and abroad. President Alvi appreciated the role of the Foundation in promoting literacy and book-reading culture in the country.

Twin cities under grip of cold wave, foggy weather

Most parts of the country including the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi are in the grip of severe cold weather with freezing winds combined with foggy conditions disrupting traffic flow on roads and flight schedules.

Severe cold waves and foggy weather have also disturbed normal routine life by hampering vehicular movement on roads besides causing inordinate delays in the arrival and departure of flights, a private news channel reported. According to the Met Department, a spell of fog and cold will continue for some more days in plain areas of Punjab and Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa besides upper parts of Sindh.

Meanwhile, the cold weather and various technical issues affected the Pakistan Railways operations, as various trains of the country departed late, said an official of the Railway.

Flight operations continued to remain disrupted due to dense fog in the country.

The administration of the Islamabad International Airport administration has issued a plan for diverted flights. Citizens are advised to keep themselves covered with warm clothing, including muffing their mouths, and possibly drinking slightly warm water.