ISLAMABAD: Speakers at a discussion on Saturday said promotion of local languages was imperative for national unity and cohesion.

The event, ‘Constitution of Pakistan and Protection of Mother Languages’, was held in connection with the Pakistan Mother Languages Literature Festival at the Pakistan National Council of the Arts (PNCA).

The session was dedicated to Fakhruddin G. Ebrahim.

Writer and educationist Zubeida Mustafa paid tributes to late Mr Ebrahim. The session was moderated by Zafarullah Khan.

Speaking on the occasion, rights activist I.A. Rehman said Arabic was just 1,500 years old whereas most languages spoken in Pakistan were thousands of years old. However, these languages are not given respect by decision-makers, he added.

Most languages spoken in Pakistan are thousands of years old, I.A. Rehman says

“Just a few weeks after Pakistan came into being – in September 1947 – during a meeting Shaista Ikramullah, a Bengali politician who was the first Muslim woman to earn a PhD degree from the University of London, said importance should be given to the Bengali language. But the then prime minister, Liaquat Ali Khan, said she was a woman and should remain silent,” he said.

Mr Rehman said the state should ensure that all languages were equal and respected.

He said constitutional provisions should put an obligation on the state to protect languages and it should be the responsibility, not an option.

He said the demand for respect for mother languages should be a part of the central agenda for democratic rights.

Former chief minister of Balochistan and National Party President Dr Abdul Malik Baloch said when he was the chief minister, he directed that children be taught in their mother tongue.

Even books were published in mother languages. But after the departure of his government, those books were dumped, he added.

Dr Baloch said recognition of all languages would not put any language in danger but strengthen Pakistan because every citizen would feel respected and respect others.

Former senator Afrasiab Khattak said in 1952, firing was opened on students who were demanding declaration of Bengali as the second national language following which the United Nations declared the day as the language day.

He said Pakistan would become stronger if all languages were recognised, adding that all parties should work together to get equal status for the languages.

PPP Senator Sassui Palijo said she had moved a bill to recognise major languages of the country as national languages during the previous government.

She said she continued the struggle for the passage of the bill but faced resistance.

Published in Dawn, February 23rd, 2020