By Hamid Khan Wazir
ISLAMABAD, Pakistan: The sole Central Library in Tank district of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) province gives a look of ‘ghost bungalow’ because of its dilapidated building engulfed by growing grass and heaps of garbage that intimidated the visitors.
Education remained among the topmost priorities of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government; however, the ramshackle building of the lonely historical library speaks otherwise, which was once the best place for book lovers and students to visit there and read different books kept in the library.
However, the main library that was set up in front of TMO Office in a British era constructed building remained closed for the last 15 years as neither the incumbent government nor the past regimes paid any attention to reopen the much-needed library, which speaks the volume of various governments’ indifference to the education sector.
The twitter was taken by storm when some senior journalists twitted pictures of the decaying building of the lonely Tank Central Library.
The President Pakhtun Journalists Association and senior anchor Tahir Khan @taahir_khan shared a picture of the dilapidated building of the library and wrote, ‘District Tank only Central Library closed for 15 years in front of TMO Office. Sure a big question mark on #KPKgovt Education policy.”
Another known name in journalism, ex-Editor BBC Pakistan; Managing Editor Independent Urdu, Haroon Rashid @TheHaroonRashid twitted pictures of the building with the caption, ‘District Tank Central Library needs restoration, the only library closed since last 15 years.”
Akhtar Munir Bhittani @amunirkhan660, a senior Islamabad-based journalist, who belongs to the district, took to twitter and shared the pictures of the long-neglected library building and drew the attention of the concerned quarters to the historical building.
The journalist stated that it is the main and sole central library in the district which needs to be restored so as the students could get the benefit from it.
People appeal KPK govt to reopen library with modern needs
Bhittani further said that the building remained close for the last 15 years that surely a big question mark on KPK government education policy. He added that the library was set up in an old British era-constructed building, which catered to the need of the students and book-lovers where valuable books were available for reading.
However, he regretted that those in power never paid any attention to the restoration of the library.
He said that this Library set up in front of the TMO Office but district administration, local government, MNA, MPA and other relevant departments are little bothered about making it functional.
“We the people and students of district Tank appealed to the provincial government to renovate and reopen the library with modern needs,” he appealed.
Another seasoned journalist and Secretary-General Pakhtun Journalist Association Gohar Mehsud @tribaljournlist twitted pictures of the long-discarded library building with the caption, “Pictures of the library speak themselves as even people scared to go inside the library building. PTI came in power twice in KP but change seems nowhere.”
A twitter user namely Adeel Chughtai, @AdeelCh96726802 said that there was committee Bagh along with the library where different types of flowers in it but now the whole area turned into a dumping site.
“We appeal to the government to restore the library so as the people of the backward tank district could enlighten themselves about the history of Pakistan as well of the world,” Adeel Chughtai said.
Similarly, another senior journalist expressed his disappointment and said that the central library has been turned into a dumping site where heaps of garbage, animal, and stray dogs could be seen everywhere.
The people of the backward Tank district demanded of the provincial government to take notice of the dilapidated building and reopen keeping in view the requirements of the modern days so as the people could make the best use of their time to read good books.
