HYDERABAD, Feb 23: Sindh University Vice-Chancellor Maz-harul Haq Siddiqui said on Thu-rsday that English is the language of trade and commerce and most research work in science is available only in this language.

He was presiding over a ceremony held to launch Oxford Prac-tice Grammar by John East-wood and English for Under-graduates by D. H. Howe, T. A Kirkpatrick and D. L. Kirkpatrick published by the Oxford Univer-sity Press for the Sindh university.

He said the books published by the OUP under the guidance of the university were close to the culture of Pakistan and Sindh.

He said literature needed to be close to life.

He maintained that in the job market, lack of English communication skills was a great disadvantage to students. He said this was the reason the university had introduced remedial English classes. He also emphasized the need for a teachers guide book and said the university would undertake efforts in this regard.

OUP managing director Amina Syed said the books were closely linked with the culture of Sindh. She said the material used in the books was from sources close to lives and culture of prospective readers. She said work on publication of an English to Sindhi dictionary would be completed soon.