I wonder if the Quaid-i-Azam would have presented the case for Pakistan so strongly had he not been so eloquent in English. And there were many who opposed Sir Syed Ahmad’s call to learn English but whose generations are now studying in English-medium institutions and proudly emulate native English speakers.

While a vast majority in our country consider English inevitable owing to globalisation and other pragmatic reasons, there is another extreme side that considers English as the ‘killer’ of their regional languages and cultures, thereby suggesting to give it a narrower scope of merely a subject within classrooms. Instead of blaming the language for the prevailing situation, our attitude towards it should be readdressed.

Among the factors necessitating the use of English language, globalisation, no doubt, is one such strong factor that calls for a common language across the globe. Apart from globalisation, there are other pragmatic reasons too. It is this language that empowers our students to have access to institutes of higher education.

It is not only a passport to international studies, it is also a token for upward mobility within organisations.

In the meantime, regional languages should not be abandoned or looked down upon as they are the roots of our society and hence form our identity that we should be proud of.

We should also launch English entertainment channels for our children.

SYED FARHAN BASIT Mirpur Mathelo