[lg policy] Pakistan: Govt drags its feet on making Urdu official language

Mon Sep 14 14:32:54 UTC 2015

 Govt drags its feet on making Urdu official language

Bureaucrats all active to sabotage the move; language experts argue making
Urdu official language will not marginalise English

Ahmad Noorani
<http://www.thenews.com.pk/TodaysPrintWriterName.aspx?ID=13&URL=Ahmad%20Noorani>
Monday,
September 14, 2015

*ISLAMABAD: While certain lobbies have become active against enforcement of
Urdu, the federal government has taken steps which are next to nothing to
practically make Urdu an official language at all levels in order to
Implement August 8 Supreme Court judgment ordering fulfilling the
constitutional obligation regarding national language.*

The Cabinet Division, which is the relevant body to advance immediate
practicable step towards enforcement of Urdu as an official language at all
tiers of government, hasn’t even contacted the National Language Authority
(officially called National Language Promotion Department (NLPD) for any
kind of consultations.

More than 80% of population in Pakistan does not understand English and is
thus not only deprived of becoming part of national development, but is
also unable to understand official communications.

International bodies like Unesco and all researches establish that best
education can be imparted in bilingual or multilingual systems by giving
basic importance to the basic language understandable at large.

Not following this basic and natural principle deprives people of learning
basics of knowledge and subjects and creative thinking and innovative
approach becomes causality.

On the other hand, local as well as international media has launched a
full-fledged campaign against possible enforcement of Urdu in Pakistan.
Many arguments are being made about practical difficulties that can emerge
in case of enforcement of Urdu as official language and some international
media outlets have attempted to give the issue an ethnic colouring so to
make the whole issue controversial.

The basic impression that is being created is that English would be
completely eliminated or marginalized and Urdu will be adopted which will
deprive Pakistanis of communicating with the outer world.

According to those working for enforcement of Urdu as official language,
English is neither being marginalized nor could it be for being an
international language and the language of science and technology.

Language experts argue that making Urdu an official language has nothing to
do with marginalizing of English as it will continue to be a very important
language subject of all curriculums at all levels. Professor Fateh Muhammad
Malik, renowned language expert and former head of NLPD, told The News that
in case of adopting Urdu as a national language in the real sense and
studying it as the basic language will only further strengthen
understanding and expertise of people in English.

He said at present the pathetic standards of use of English by majority of
those who can speak or write English are because of the fact that they
don’t have grip on the literature of their basic language and thus could
never learn English perfectly.

Another argument raised by the local media regarding ‘great’ hurdles and
difficulties that nation would face in case of enforcement of Urdu was that
majority of IT related projects, software and databases including land
record computerization developed by the federal as well as Punjab
government will become redundant. However, when this scribe contacted Umar
Saif who is the creator of majority of these projects and heads Punjab
Information Technology Board (PITB) told The News that it is absolutely
wrong to say that any of projects of his department would become
‘redundant’ or face any kind of problem in case of enforcement of Urdu.

He explained that land record computerization is already 100% in Urdu
language. He said some of the software applications which are in English
are for internal use and have nothing to do with the implementation of
Supreme Court judgment.

Umar Saif said his department was working translating all laws into Urdu
and more than 70% of the work has already been completed. He said his
department was also working now to change all government websites in Urdu
which will also be completed soon.

Now it is obvious that an English version of all these websites will remain
present but only for the ease and understanding of general public the
official websites will be in Urdu. Despite this, people opposing Urdu have
problem with this as they want only English as medium of communication
keeping aside common people understand it or not.

Language experts argue that importance of basic language and understanding
and attachment of Pakistani people at large can be well understood from the
fact that three media groups of Pakistan namely Geo and Jang Group, DAWN
media Group and Express failed to successfully launch an English channel
because people feel more comfortable with their national language.

Another issue which was highlighted in an Urdu column was that if Urdu is
made official language it will be like forcefully enforcing it on some
communities which do not speak Urdu as their mother tongue like Pashto.
However, Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik also dispelled this impression and
maintained that at present people speaking any language Punjabi, Sindhi,
Seraiki, Pushto, Balochi, Hindko not only communicate in Urdu with each
other, well understand their national language but also own Urdu as their
own language.

He said Ahmad Fraz, Farigh Bokhari, Khatir Ghaznavi, Mohsin Ehsan were all
Pushtoon with Pushto as their mother language but were great poets of Urdu.
He said when a Pakhtoon Mufti Mehmood became chief minister of KP (then
NWFP) he ordered that Urdu will be the official language of the province.
He said Mir Ghaus Bukhsh Bazenjo took similar steps in Balochistan. He
completely rejected attempts to give ethnic colouring to the enforcement of
Urdu saying all these are made-up arguments to frustrate the present
process of unifying the nation.

He said that different surveys are presented to show the ratio of people
speaking different languages. He said that when during a survey you will
ask a question to any citizen which language he speaks, he will respond
that he speaks Punjabi, Pushto, Sindhi, Urdu, Balochi, Seraiki etc and the
surveyor will calculate the ratio.

He said the real survey will be to ask people across the Pakistan “can you
speak or write Urdu” and then to ask “can you speak or write English”. He
said that more than 90% of people will be expert of Urdu while a similar
percentage will be clueless about English.

Referring to the conspiracy that present move will marginalize the English,
he pressed the need to further strengthen the education of English as a
language as it has great importance. He said learning English as a language
and learning different knowledge in English are two entirely different
things and are being confused.

He said that if he reads five English newspapers in the morning he could
not get comprehensive overview of local, national and international
developments. Even senior journalists writing for different English
newspapers used to say that they couldn’t get enough information by reading
all English newspapers which they get merely after reading one Urdu
newspaper Daily Jang.

It is clear in Article 251 of the constitution that respective provinces
can develop their basic syllabus in their regional languages so to more
empower their people. According to Unesco website, “Unesco promotes mother
tongue-based bilingual or multilingual approaches in education - an
important factor for inclusion and quality in education. Research shows
this has a positive impact on learning and learning outcomes. The
Organization provides normative frameworks for language policy and
education and shares good practices in bilingual and multilingual education
and mother tongue instruction.”

When attention of these English language advocates is diverted to this
basic internationally accepted principle, they come up with the argument
that Urdu is not the mother tongue of majority of Pakistanis.

A September 12 BBC story quoted ratio of first language of Pakistanis as
48% Punjabi, 12% Sindhi, 10% Seraiki, 8% Pashto, 8% Urdu and 3% Balochi.
However, majority of these speak Urdu at their homes and can well
understand Urdu. Not only this, their only way communication with each
other right from the childhood is Urdu. Also there is no ban on adopting
these languages at a primary level for very basic education of child.

Most importantly, Unesco is pressing a multi-lingual system of education
and only giving basic importance to most basic language of the society.
Both liberal and religious circles are not happy as one wants promotion of
Arabic while the other insists on adopting English at all level. Whereas
language experts believe that this is not a religious or ideological issue,
it is the issue of ease, education and understanding of common people as
per universally accepted principles.

Professor Fateh Muhammad Malik said bureaucracy and establishment are basic
hurdles in enforcement of Urdu as national language. He said the rulers are
totally surrounded by these elements and they never allow rulers to take
independent decisions. He said the basic problem is the will and sincerity
of rulers.

There is another objection that Urdu already in use at patwari, tehsildar
level, in courts and in police stations is not understandable by the common
citizens. Language experts say that it is because Urdu is not given that
much importance in our syllabus as a major language. If these terms are
made part of our syllabus, everyone one will understand them. Also all
terms of all subjects are not understandable by every citizen. Even a
person with English as one’s mother language would not be knowing all
English words used in all fields of study.

At present Dr Jamal Nasir is head of National Language Authority (NLPD). Dr
Jamal is a Pushtoon belonging to tribal areas. On being questioned by The
News he said his department was all equipped to enforce Urdu at all
official levels. He said that work and research on all aspects is already
complete.

He said there was a basic need that a 200 marks paper of Urdu language is
immediately made mandatory subject for CSS and all other competitive
examinations at federal and provincial levels. He said without such basic
steps to train and encourage bureaucracy to learn and implement Urdu for
the ease of common people real enforcement of the national language will
not be possible.

According to experts that Pakistanis will be disconnected from the world
after enforcement of Urdu is baseless and English will remain an important
subject and everyone, especially those who want to go abroad for education
or employment will learn English with more ease and attain more expertise.

Experts say German, French, Chinese and Japanese only progress as a nation
as they taught all knowledge to their children in their national language.
English is a minority language even in Europe as of today.

During a recent presser with German Foreign Minister, Pakistani counterpart
spoke in English instead of his national language whereas German spoke in
his national language. Those teaching lesson of diplomatic sciences to
Pakistanis and highlighting Pakistan’s weaker position on many fronts are
not only simply unaware of diplomatic principles and basics but also are
unaware of importance of Pakistan.

According to experts, when it comes to making women part of the national
progress they will argue that progress is impossible if 50% women will not
participate in national development as its on their agenda but when it will
come to making Urdu as official language instead of English which is
depriving 80% Pakistanis to become part of national progress, they will
oppose it as it is not on their agenda.

Experts working for enforcement of Urdu say the prime minister just needs
to understand that only the opinion given to him by the DMG bureaucrats,
his information ministry and other closely associated is not the perfect
one and he needs to consult concerned experts, top literary figures,
language experts, professors educationists, seasoned politicians, top
international education and language experts and consultants, needs to
consult Unesco’s officials concerned to reach some conclusion.

If the prime minister will rely on advise of DMG baboos or information
ministry, 80% Pakistanis will always remain deprived of becoming part of
national progress or to understand official communications or what is being
forcefully taught to them and hence will always remain deprive of having
any creative ability to perform in fields of science, literature, economy
or any other field.

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-13-39651-Govt-drags-its-feet-on-making-Urdu-official-language

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