Yesterday, the topic of conversation suddenly became the British Council. And the fact that the library has been closed down because of security concerns, so that the only part of the British Council that’s really still open are the parts that are making money: the department that administers the O/A’Levels and various other exams such as the IELTS, and the department that provides information about studying in the UK. (Of course, to discuss either, you’ll need an appointment…and before entering the building, will be scanned for metal.)
I mentioned this to a friend today and he didn’t seem shocked. So what if the two worthwhile public libraries in Islamabad (the British Council Library and the USIS) are both now closed? I was flabbergasted: when I was a kid, the British Council made life tolerable. My only memories of Islamabad (other than of our home and of school) from before we went to Denmark are of an old-book-shop in Melody (I think it’s still there) and the adjacent British Council, which Ammi finally got us membership to shortly before we left. In Denmark, libraries with English books were reasonably abundant, and our school library in particular had an excellent collection. With our parents’ encouragement, my siblings and I became certified bookworms. Ammi was particularly indulgent, driving me to various community libraries, where I would spend afternoons stacking up books I was interested in and then paring the stacks down to the number that the library allowed me to borrow. And then a couple of days later, we would return to refresh our stock. Back in Pakistan, I clearly remember piling into yellow vans (Nawaz Sharif’s gift to the nation) with twenty sweating adults to visit the British Council, and returning to sprawl on my sofa for entire afternoons of uninterrupted reading, courtesy a locked door.
I’m rambling for a reason. There are few things that will capture a child as completely as quality literature, and nothing that will benefit him more. The knowledge, the sophistication and the ambition that books inspire are vital ingredients for the progress of a nation, and this is why the state of affairs in Islamabad (nay, Pakistan!) is so tragic. It would, of course, be easy to blame the government, but the truth is there are Pakistan has far more basic needs, and until they are addressed, our criticisms of the government should be focussed there. There are enough mota-murghas and enough NGOs around to recognise the need for a quality public library; enough parents around to demand that schools open their libraries to students — at Froebel’s, books are carefully arranged within padlocked steel wardrobes, the administration oblivious to the irony therein.
If I sound frustrated, it’s because I am. Beyond the obvious damage the current youth are unknowingly being subjected to, there is the fact that this generation with no affinity for books is likely to pass its void to future generations. There is, truly, a very small window for action here — and action must be taken.
Given the ambitious goals and achievements of such organizations as The Citizens Foundation, surely it is not impossible for a group of dedicated patriots to fill a room with books and throw open the doors. Ignoring the financial requirements for a moment, it appears a very do-able goal, and one that we can all work together in accomplishing.
If you have ideas or resources — even just time and energy — please contact me.
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