Liaquat Memorial Library

In 1930, the Government of Pakistan decided to establish the National Library (of Pakistan)at Karachi to be operated under the Directorate of Archives and Libraries . A modest beginning was made by setting up the library in Block No 76 of the Pakistan secretariat at Karachi.In a parallel development that followed the tragic death of Pakistan‘s first Prime Minster in 1951, the Liaquat Memorial Library (LML) had been founded by voluntary contribute in commemoration of the late Liaquat Ali Khan’s services to the nation.

In 1953 a proposal was made by the trustees of the Liaquat Memorial Library to amalgamate it with the National Library (NL). The Government of Pakistan agreed to this proposal and gave effect to the decision in January 1954. Consequently the collection of the National Library was transferred to the Merewether Tower where the LML had exists. The newly amalgamated library was now re-named the Liaquat National Library (LNL) . The LNL continued to be used in this Building for nearly a decade until 1964 when it moved to a rented residential bungalow at 34-J/6 PECHS, Karachi. Meanwhile, the government remained conscious of the importance of a permanent Building for the LNL. A proposal for the construction of such a purpose – built building was submitted in 1957 on the basis of which preliminary designs were prepared in 1959 by Mr. A.A Mirza, Senior Architect of the Pakistan Public Works Department. Finally the Development Plan of the Library found its overdue place in the Second Five Year Plan for 1960-65 and the Economic Committee of the Cabinet gave its approval to the expenditure of Rs 2.73 million in September 1960. The design of the new building was finally approved in early 1965 and construction began in June of that year. In January 1969 that the new building became operational.

Although the NL was originally intended to serve as the National Library of Pakistan (NL) but with the shifting of the capital from Karachi to Islamabad a new national library be established in the new capital. As a consequence of this decision, the LNL reverted back to its original nomenclature, the Liaquat Memorial Library. On February 28th 1986 the LML was handed over by the Federal Government to the Culture & Tourism Department of the Government of Sindh with which it remains as its flagship library.