LAHORE: The 33rd international conference of the World Punjabi Congress has demanded introducing Punjabi language as a medium of instruction in all government and private schools of Punjab from primary class.

The three-day moot which concluded here on Thursday demanded that Punjabi should be a compulsory subject from Prep to Graduation level of education in Punjab.

It opposed division of Punjab under any circumstances arguing it would compromise the unity and strength of the country.

It demanded celebrating March 14 every year as Punjab cultural day at state level and all government organisations and institutes must ensure that their officials wear traditional Punjabi clothes and promote Punjabi language in office.

It said Punjabi language must be recognised as official government language in Punjab and all languages, including Sindhi, Balochi, Pashto and Punjabi, spoken in Pakistan should be recognised as national languages of the country.

All government officials in Punjab should speak Punjabi language in offices and those officials who arrive in Punjab from other provinces or countries should be encouraged and trained to speak Punjabi.

The conference demanded that the streets, roads, colonies and markets in Punjab should be named after renowned Punjabi heroes, Sufi poets, writers, intellectuals and artists, the government must support and provide grants to Punjabi organisations, Punjabi newspapers and magazines.

The moot also demanded that both Pakistan and Indian governments must liberalise visa policies and should make the visa process convenient for poets, writers, intellectuals and scholars.

Around 80 delegates from India, Canada and England had participated in the conference. The delegates will now be taken for a tour to Nankana Sahib and Kartarpur.

WPC Chairman Fakhar Zaman thanked all the participants and those who took part in organising the conference.

He announced that the 34th international conference would be organised next year and hoped that more than 100 delegates from around the world would attend it.

Published in Dawn, March 8th, 2024