Ambassador of Pakistan Reinforces Literary Ties at Sharjah International Book Fair

Pakistan’s Ambassador to the UAE, Faisal Niaz Tirmizi, participated in the Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) on Saturday, holding discussions with key literary and publishing leaders to deepen cultural ties between Pakistan and the UAE.

In a notable meeting with Ahmed Bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority (SBA), Ambassador Tirmizi expressed gratitude for SBA’s efforts to include Pakistani authors and publishers in SIBF. Al Ameri highlighted Pakistan’s profound literary heritage and stressed SBA’s commitment to promoting Pakistani literature globally. He spoke of the “Sharjah Lightningsource” initiative, which facilitates international distribution through on-demand printing, enhancing global access to literature from Pakistan.

Ambassador Tirmizi lauded SBA’s role in nurturing cultural exchange, stating, “Today’s readers are tomorrow’s leaders,” and pledged the embassy’s continued support for future SIBF events featuring Pakistani literature.

The ambassador also met with His Excellency Saif Mohammed Al Suwaidi, Director of the Sharjah Publishing City Free Zone, who shared insights on SPC’s role in bolstering the publishing industry through state-of-the-art facilities, positioning Sharjah as a nexus of global literary activities.

During his tour, Ambassador Tirmizi engaged with Pakistani publishers and distributors, applauding their work in promoting Urdu literature. At the Urdu Book World stall, he praised Mr. Sarmad Khan for his contributions and acknowledged efforts from distributors such as Ink and Pixels Publications and Darussalam International LLC.

Special attention was given to the Ibn Al Arabi for Research and Publishing Foundation, particularly their global distribution of a publication by Shah Wali Ullah Mohaddis Dehlivi, originally from Lahore’s Rahimia Institute of Quranic Sciences.

The visit underscored Pakistan’s commitment to enhancing cultural ties with the UAE, reinforcing a mutual vision of literary collaboration and shared cultural growth.