Chapter 5 - Languages

Urdu

• The %%Quaid Azam declared Urdu as the national language%% soon after independence.
• Urdu had been %%closely associated with the Muslims%% for centuries and became one of the %%foundational pillars of the Pakistan movement%% in later years.
• Government took many steps to promote it.
• The %%1973 Constitution%% pledges to make it the official language, too.
• Government patronized it by %%encouraging prominent poets like Faiz, Faraz, Munir Niazi and Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi who were given various awards.%%
• %%Baba- i-Urdu Award, Adamjee Award, Hijra Award and the Prime Minister’s Award%% were introduced for this purpose.
• Urdu was declared as the %%medium of education%% in all public sector schools and a %%compulsory subject%% in private sector institutes.

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Punjabi

• However, regional languages were also promoted. Punjabi is spoken in the %%largest province, Punjab.%%
• It has a rich literary stock with such ‘sufi’ (saintly) %%poets%% as %%Waris Shah, Baba Farid and Bulleh Shah.%%
• Punjabi played %%important role in the Pakistan movement.%%
• It was introduced as an %%optional subject in colleges.%%
• Research activities were conducted in the %%University of Punjab.%%
• Prominent poets and writers were encouraged, for example, %%Habib Jalib, Munir Niazi, Ahmed Rahi and others by giving them awards on their writings.%%
• Some %%Punjabi newspapers%% were issued from Lahore, like the %%Daily Sajjan%% in the 1980’s.

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Sindhi

• Sindhi is the %%language of Sindh, the second largest province.%%
• Its literature is %%closely linked with Islam%% as it is the first regional language that had adopted the Arabic script due to the arrival of Arab Muslims in Sindh in 712 AD.
• Its literary treasure comprised such poet as %%Shah Abdul Latif Bhitai%% and %%Sachal Sarmast.%%
• Government took many steps to promote it.
• The %%Department of Sindhology%% was set up in the %%University of Hyderabad.%%
• Other bodies include %%Bazm-i-Talib ul Maula%%, %%Sachal Sarmast Academ%%y and the %%Sindhi Literary Board.%%
• Under the %%Language Bill of 1972, Zulfikar Ali Bhutto declared it the national language of Sindh%% along with Urdu.
• %%Prominent writers%% such as %%Pir Ali Muhammad Rashidi%% and %%G. Alana%% were given awards.

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Pashto

• Pashto is spoken in the %%province of Khyber Pakhtoon Khwa%% and its %%literature contains resistance against foreign rule%% that is seen in the %%poetry of Khushhal Khan Khattak%% and %%Rahman Baba.%%
• After 1947, %%University of Peshawar%% and %%Islamia College Peshawar%% promoted it.
• First %%Pashto dictionary%% had been compiled a few years later.
• An %%academy of promotion of Pashto%% was set up in %%1954%%.
• %%Professor Pareeshan Khattak%% and %%Maulana Abdul Qadir%% played prominent role in its development.
• %%Abaseen Arts Council%% promoted %%Pashto Theatre%%.

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Balochi

• Balochi is the %%least developed language of Pakistan%% as it had its literature in the form of oral traditions.
• Balochistan is the least developed and least populated province.
• This also necessitated to promote Balochi language. Initially, %%University of Karachi and radio and TV centres of Karachi promoted it.%%
• Later with the establishment of %%Quetta TV Centre%%, this language was %%promoted by electronic media.%%
• %%Poets%% and %%writers%% like %%Atta Shad%% and %%Gul Khan Nazir%% also contributed to its promotion.
• %%Balochi Literary Association%% was also created.

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