Sharjah, United Arab Emirates — Ambassador Shafqat Ali Khan today inaugurated the Pakistan Pavilion at the 45th Sharjah International Book Fair, held from 4 to 15 November 2026 at Expo Centre Sharjah.
The inauguration was attended by representatives of leading Pakistani publishing houses, including Mr. Gagan Shahid, Director of Book Corner Jhelum; Mr. Daniyal Salam, Director of Ferozsons (Pvt.) Ltd.; and Mr. Sarmad Khan, Co-founder of Urdu Books World.
The Pakistan Pavilion showcases a diverse selection of Urdu and English publications, including poetry, novels, children’s books, educational and research publications, and works on history and culture. The Ambassador also toured stalls of Pakistani publishers, including Qudrat Ullah Company, Zia Ul Quran Publications, and Paramount Books.
Sharjah praised as a centre of culture and knowledge
The Ambassador thanked the organisers of the Pakistan Pavilion and praised Sharjah’s standing as a centre of culture, knowledge, and education. He observed that the Sharjah International Book Fair has become a hallmark of the emirate’s cultural identity.
He encouraged residents across the UAE, particularly members of the Pakistani community in Sharjah, to visit the fair and maintain their connection with books and reading. He reaffirmed that the Government of Pakistan and the Embassy would continue to extend all possible support to enhance Pakistan’s participation in future editions of the fair.
Strengthening literary and cultural cooperation
During his visit, the Ambassador met H.E. Ahmed bin Rakkad Al Ameri, CEO of the Sharjah Book Authority, to discuss strengthening literary and cultural cooperation between Pakistan and Sharjah. The Ambassador commended Sharjah’s achievements in promoting culture and knowledge, emphasising their role in bringing people together.
Mr. Al Ameri underscored the importance of expanding cooperation in these areas and highlighted the need to increase the availability of books, particularly Urdu publications, for the Pakistani community in Sharjah.
The Ambassador also visited the Muhyiddin Ibn Arabi Foundation’s stall, where its Director, Sheikh Ayman Hamdi Al-Akbari, briefed him on the Foundation’s efforts to preserve Islamic scholarly heritage and make original texts accessible to wider audiences. The Ambassador welcomed the Foundation’s publication of Shah Waliullah Muhaddis Dehlvi’s Al-Khair al-Kathir and Al-Lamahat, with commentaries by Pakistani scholar Mufti Abdul Khaliq Azad Raipuri.
