SPEAKING your local language while sitting in a circle of friends who speak a language different than yours is simply improper and unethical. Despite having a diverse student body at Punjab University, many instances have been observed where individuals from the same linguistic background converse in their native language, seemingly oblivious to the exclusionary effect on others in the group. This in other words may stand in violation of the norms of group conversations.

This pattern persists even when the topics discussed are neither sensitive nor secretive, despite criticism and complaints from fellow friends and colleagues. It is crucial to emphasise that the concern raised is not about eavesdropping on private matters, but rather about fostering inclusivity and unity.

A recent example is the Pashtun Cultural Day organised by the Pashtun Education Development Movement at Punjab University. While such events aim at celebrating and promoting ethnic culture, they also act as a means to promote a sense of national unity by fostering inclusivity.

However, it was observed that most of the events were conducted in Pashto, despite the presence of a significant number of people who were not conversant with the language.

It was only when a direct interaction with the audience was needed that the organisers seamlessly switched to Urdu.

This event highlighted the indifference of the organisers towards this significant issue, reflecting a communication gap that remained unaddressed. The persistence of such behaviour is deeply ingrained in our different ethnic groups. The whole thing reflected our failure as a nation. This attitude goes beyond language barriers, pointing to the cultural walls we construct around ourselves.

Fatima Haroon
Lahore

Published in Dawn, December 9th, 2023