SIALKOT, Jan 12, 2019: Sialkot city’s 125 years old Allama Iqbal Library has been presenting a miserable condition with its multiple administrative problems including acute shortage of staff and facilities as well.
Allama Iqbal Library Sialkot is the unique library which is being run only by a junior clerk and a Naib Qasid, ruling out the basic concepts and objectives of any library here. 
This historical library has also been lying the victim of official apathy and height of negligence as well for the last several decades.
Sialkot district administration, Sialkot Municipal Corporation and Sialkot education department still remain unable to appoint the staff on the prolonged vacant posts, due to which this library has been presenting a picture of negligence as well.
Allama Iqbal Library Sialkot, named after son of soil of Sialkot Allama Iqbal, has no regular librarian.
Only a junior clerk and a Naib Qasid has been running this ancient library , amazingly. While , the seats of librarian, watchman, security guard and attendant were lying vacant since long.
Some unknown accused had also stolen the AC of this library several months ago. Civil Line police have registered a case with no recovery or arrest, in this regard.
Earlier, this library had been situated at historical Sialkot Fort from where it was shifted to Paris Road Sialkot by the district administration of Sialkot in 1961 and named it after Allama Iqbal Library. Now, this library was under the administrative control of Sialkot education department.
The gardens of the library have also been ruined up due to non-availability of any gardener, as the seat of gardener has been lying vacant for the last several years here. Fountains of the library were also lying out of ordered here as well.
While, front side of this library was surrounded by the encroachments and vendors who have established their make-shift shops there as well. The encroachments were also eclipsing the beauty of this library. No one has ever bothered to take notice to resolve the problems of this library, amazingly.
Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Prof Asghar Saudai, Indian journalist Kuldeep Nayer and several other prominent poets from across often used to visit this ancient library for study purposes as well.
Now, the number of the visitors (mostly the students of local colleges and universities) has reduced to a great extant. Due to which, this library was losing its educational worth.
Sialkot’s literary, educational, social, religious and political circles have expressed grave concern over this pathetic situation of this library. They have urged the Punjab Chief Minister Sardar Usman Buzdar, Commissioner Gujranwala Division Asad Ullah Faiz and Sialkot Deputy Commissioner Dr. Syed Bilal Haider to look into the matter in the larger public interest as well.
When contacted, the CEO of Sialkot District Education Authority Younas Warraich said that the regular librarian would soon be appointed at this library
