[lg policy] Pakistan: ‘More than one national language will not threaten security’

[Harold Schiffman]

‘More than one national language will not threaten security’
<http://www.dawn.com/news/1316079/more-than-one-national-language-will-not-threaten-security>
Ikram Junaidi <http://www.dawn.com/authors/263/ikram-junaidi> — Updated about
11 hours ago

<http://www.dawn.com/news/1316079/more-than-one-national-language-will-not-threaten-security#comments>

  <http://www.dawn.com/news/print/1316079>

ISLAMABAD: Decision makers should know that having more than one national
language will not pose a threat to national security, and history shows
that one language does not ensure a country will remain intact, said
Punjabi writer Mushtaq Sufi.

“A narrative is being constructed for the last 70 years that there should
be one national language because that is the only way the country can
remain strong,” Mr Sufi said while speaking at a two-day symposium held at
the Pakistan Academy of Letters (PAL) on Monday.

“Urdu was imposed as the only national language in the country, a move
which invited resistance in East Pakistan from the very beginning. So that
narrative is not correct historically,” he said.

Mushtaq Sufi said many countries have various official languages including
Canada, Iran, Russia, Belgium, India and Afghanistan among others and that
the plurality of their national languages has not posed a threat to their
national security.
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On the other hand, only one of 22 languages are spoken in the Arab world,
where a single language has not guaranteed security, he argued.
------------------------------
Writers, literati gather to draft policy for government regarding the
status of languages in Pakistan
------------------------------

“Pakistan is situated in an area where multiple languages have been spoken
for centuries and scholars say this diversity is an asset. I am a Punjabi
and I am not afraid of the other languages in the country. I believe that
there is no alternate for any language because languages are more of a way
to see the world that they are a way to communicate,” he said.

“It is unfortunate that the languages of those who helped build the
country, including the Bengalis, Baloch, Sindhi and Pakhtoon, are
considered a threat to the country,” he added.

Baloch writer Panah Baloch said terrorism can only be eradicated by
promoting local languages which impart the message of the sufis.

“The local language is taught in Sindh which is why we can hardly find a
Sindhi terrorist. Iran included Balochi in the curriculum due to which many
issues have been addressed,” he said.

Pakhtun writer Noorul Amin Yousafzai said people should have the right to
receive education in any language. He said five languages have been
included in the curriculum in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and that the curriculum
board is working on the matter.

Educationist Prof Dr Javed Iqbal pointed out that the Khushal Khan Khattak
University in KP does not have a Pashto department.

Two participants said Urdu is spoken across the country and should not be
referred to as a foreign language.

“Urdu is the language of Punjab and was spoken here before Pakistan came
into being. There are many dialects in Punjabi which means Punjabi cannot
replace Urdu, not even in Punjab,” said a participant, Arshad Mehmood.

Writer Tariq Rehman said the ruling elite thinks adopting more languages
will not be in their interests.

“These kinds of decisions are not feasible for multilingual states and that
is why the problem in Bengal started,” he said.

PAL Chairman Dr Qasim Bugio said that the PPP had made many efforts for
drafting a language policy and that the PML-N had included addressing the
issue on its mandate. Efforts were also made in the National Assembly and
the Senate to declare more languages as national languages, which could so
far not be done.

“PAL therefore decided to invite literary figures to discuss the issue
during a two day symposium, which is being held in connection with mother
languages day, and prepare a draft policy for the government. We hope that
political parties will consider the draft because it will be prepared by
the academia,” he said.

On Feb 21, 1952, students of the Dhaka University had held a protest,
demanding that Bangla be declared a national language of Pakistan because
56pc of the country’s population spoke the language.

The police opened fire at them during which five students were killed.
Unesco declared the day the students were killed the International Day of
Mother Languages, which is now observed worldwide.

*Published in Dawn, February 21st, 2017*
http://www.dawn.com/news/1316079/more-than-one-national-language-will-not-threaten-security


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