Dr. Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, Federal Minister for Education and Professional Training, inaugurated the National Book Museum at the National Book Foundation in Islamabad, a revived cultural space aimed at promoting reading and preserving Pakistan’s literary heritage. The ceremony was attended by Member of the National Assembly Raja Qamar-ul-Islam, Managing Director NBF Dr. Kamran Jahangir, Secretary NBF Khan Farhan Rifat, Director HOR Murad Ali Mohmand and other officials.
The minister praised the National Book Museum for its restoration and elevated presentation, saying the museum will chart the evolution of the book from its origins to the modern era and will play an important role in fostering a book culture across the country. He described the rare artifacts and displays as a national asset that will guide and inspire future generations.
The National Book Museum features a dedicated Holy Qur’an Corner and a Sufis’ Corner alongside statues and tributes to renowned poets and writers. Visitors will find wooden and stone book-related artworks and carefully curated exhibits intended to engage younger audiences and deepen public appreciation for literature and heritage.
Raja Qamar-ul-Islam welcomed the recent additions to the museum, noting that the new displays make the space more engaging for literature enthusiasts and readers across Islamabad and beyond.
Dr. Kamran Jahangir outlined the museum’s highlights, including rare and ancient Qur’anic manuscripts, exceptional calligraphy, dedicated corners for great personalities, book models and special sections for Pakistan’s regional languages. The display also includes golden statues of Allama Iqbal, Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Hafeez Jalandhari, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi and Saadat Hasan Manto, each placed to celebrate their contribution to national literature and thought.
Creative installations enrich the visitor experience, from book-laden small trucks and trains to framed sacred Qur’anic pages and the distinctive “Pillar of Autographs”. Book-themed office tables decorated with global knowledge references are designed to spark curiosity and learning among students and scholars.
The artistic elements were created by Pakistani artist Azim Iqbal, whose timely work reflects the vision of the National Book Foundation and complements the museum’s mission. The National Book Museum now stands as a centre for cultural learning and literary appreciation that officials hope will attract families, researchers and school groups throughout Pakistan.
