SOME misconceptions are so deep-rooted that one has to repeat some facts quite often to eradicate these misconceptions. One such misconception or misnomer is ‘regional languages of Pakistan’.
As mentioned before in these columns, the languages spoken in Pakistan are now officially called ‘Pakistani languages’. But some students and writers, even some scholars, keep on calling them ‘regional’ or ‘provincial’ languages of Pakistan. ‘Regional language’ may sound derogatory and one has to be careful about such terms in a country like Pakistan where every issue, including linguistic issues, are politicised.
Islamabad’s Allama Iqbal Open University (AIOU) is country’s first institution that not only felt the need to promote the languages spoken in Pakistan and research their literatures, but also to establish a separate department for these languages. The higher-ups at AIOU some three decades ago were sensible enough to aptly and correctly name the department as ‘Department of Pakistani languages’.
Now the department has come up with a research journal of its own. Named Pakistani zaban-o-adab, it intends to publish research articles on Pakistani languages and their literatures. The first issue amply proves what the department wants to do and what it means to promote the languages: it includes articles in six different Pakistani languages. The articles have been composed in the scripts these languages use. Plus, an article in English and the editorial is in Urdu is there. So it makes it eight.
This is the first multi-lingual research journal of its kind and indeed a remarkable feat.
According to the abstracts, published with each article in English, the first article is in Brahui script and discusses the history and development of Brahui script. Written by Dr Liaqat Sani, Associate Prof at Balochistan University, Quetta, and the article suggests that Brahui script needs major changes because the present Brahui alphabet lacks certain letters and it cannot properly represent the Brahui phonemes borrowed from Arabic. The second article discusses the first Balochi novel Nazuk. Written by Hamid Ali Baloch, lecturer, University of Turbat, the article is in Balochi and is written in Balochi script. Next two articles are in Pashto and are published in Pashto script. The first one is written by Dr Yousuf Jazaab, lecturer, Government College, Ghaznikhel, and discusses the folk knowledge of Pashto linguistics. The other is by Dr Muhammad Ali Deenakhel, lecturer, Government College, Matta, Swat, and it introduces the first Pashto manuscript named ‘Khair-ul-bayan’, housed in a library in Germany.
Dr Ahsanullah Tahir is assistant Prof at Gujranwala’s government college and his article analyses the famous Punjabi folk tale Sassi Pannon. It is in the Punjabi language and Punjabi script used in Pakistan, also known as Shahmukhi script, as opposed to Gurumukhi script used in Indian Punjab across the border. Dr Mumtaz Muhammad Khan is Assistant Prof at Bahawalpur’s Islamia University and his article, in Saraiki language and script, is on versified folk tales known as Qissa-i-Yousuf Zulaikha.
Dr Ghafoor Memon is chairman of Sindhi Language Authority and his article is on the mystic philosophy of Rumi and Shah Lateef. Written in Sindhi, it compares the thought patterns of these two great Sufi poets. An article by Dr Nabeela Rahman, Prof Punjab University, is in English and is titled ‘Symbols of peace, tolerance, and harmony in Punjabi Sufi poetry’.
Editor Dr Abdullah Jan Abid, a professor at the department of Pakistani languages, AIOU, has mentioned in his editorial, written in Urdu, that the department was established in 1988 with a vision of researching the common linguistic, literary and cultural trends in Pakistani languages and to provide these languages with a solid footing. The department began its MPhil programme in 2004 and PhD programme in 2008. Many students, both male and female, have obtained MPhil or PhD degrees from the department and, adds Dr Abid, the department has also arranged a number of symposia.
Dr Abid says that at AIOU the faculty and management realise that the script of any language is a part of cultural heritage and is directly associated with the ideology and life of the native speakers. So the articles included in the research journal have been published in the original script and in future this will continue with more languages and scripts coming onboard.
Published in Dawn, April 2nd, 2018
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