QUE T TA: Balochistan Chief Minister Dr Abdul Malik Baloch has asked the youth and political workers to pay more attention to reading books because wisdom could only come by going through literature.

`The 21st century is the century of knowledge and technology. We have no other option but to acquire knowledge, pay full attention to reading books and make progress,` he said.

The chief minister was speaking at the launching ceremony of author Abdul Manan`s book `History, in the context of terminologies` at the Quetta Press Club on Thursday.

He recalled that Balochistan, particularly Quetta, used to be the hub of boolclovers till the 1980s when bookshops in the city had stocks of all kinds of books.

`We need to do more research, write books and come up with intellectual criticism. Great are those who read books, think and then write; we should promote literature and create a tendency of reading books,` he said.

The CM said his government was making all possible efforts to help writers and literary people. He appreciated the work of Mr Manan, saying he was a committed political worker who always demonstrated his love for books and promotion of literature. Leaders of National Party Dr Yaseen Baloch, Tahir Bizenjo, Abdul Manan and others also spoke.