Indubitably, reading and critical thinking go hand in hand. A well-read person is better placed to make a mark in any field of life than a person who detests reading books. The habit of reading books on diverse topics provides a sound base, on which a reliable edifice of knowledge can be built. Reading cultivates critical thinking which enables a person to distinguish between what is right and what is wrong. The wisdom earned through the pages of a book never fails the reader, and he finds it easy to make life-changing decisions prudently. In addition, reading lends beauty and scholarly touch to our conversation as well. 

However, at the moment, our youth seems least interested in reading books. Instead of visiting libraries to get firsthand knowledge, they prefer to browse Google for everything they needed. One cannot deny the importance of modern technology, but a total dependence on it hampers one’s way towards creative thinking. It goes without saying that one may have easy access to all types of knowledge through various search engines. But, such knowledge washes away from our memory very quickly. A number of factors contribute in this decadence in reading habit. At educational institutes, students hardly find any time to read extra books other than their course books. At home, most of the parents spend lavishly on clothing and foot-wears of their children, but they avoid buying books for their children. In the same way, rampant poverty is another obstacle which deters the book lovers to buy and study books. It is said, “Readers are leaders”. So we will have to join hands for the revival of reading habit among our youth, who have inched away by miles from this healthy activity. 

MUHAMMAD FAYYAZ,  

Mianwali, January 28.