QUETTA, Oct 12: The speakers at Pashto international seminar have demanded the government to introduce Pushto language as a medium of instruction in the Pukhtun dominated areas of the country.

The two-day seminar concluded on Sunday. It was organized by the Pushto Literary Movement at the Pakistan Children Academy here.

Eminent Pushto writers, intellectual and poets spoke at the seminar emphasizing the need to introduce Pushto as a medium of instruction in schools and the official language in the Pukhtun belt of the country.

They said that being the second largest language of the country it should be given proper status and due share in the programmes of the PTV and radio.

They stated that the government along with the writers and intellectuals play important role in promoting languages and that no nation could progress without the development of the mother language.

The speakers observed that Pushto like other important languages of the World had a history not merely restricted to a few centuries and in this regard the intellectuals and writers had made concerted efforts to ensure the continuation of the Pushto language to keep it alive.

They claimed that promotion of the mother languages as medium of instruction in schools establish mutual understanding and base of contact amongst the writers and intellectuals of different languages in the country.

Speakers regretted that the successive governments have not encouraged the languages spoken in the provinces of Pakistan despite the fact that majority of the rural population speak in mother language.

The seminar strongly demanded the government to allocate proper funds for the promotion of Punjabi, Pushto, Balochi, Sindhi, Brohi, and Seraiki languages, adding that without government’s support the research work was not possible.

The speakers said the promotion of mother languages was not a threat to Urdu as no one could deny its importance for being a source of contact amongst the Pakistani citizens.

They also lauded the services rendered by the Pushto writers, intellectuals and poets in promoting the language in their personal capacity despite facing financial hardships.

They claimed that United Nation Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (Unesco) had stressed for the promotion and introduction of mother languages, and added that Pakistan was also member of the Unesco, therefore it should abide by the decisions of the UN body.