THE importance of learning a local or regional language cannot be overstated. It not only expands job opportunities, but also helps communicate effectively and build strong bonds with the locals.

At the time of Partition, most of the people who landed in Karachi via sea had no understanding of Sindhi. They only knew Urdu. Jobs were limited in Karachi at the time. People moved to the interior of Sindh as they were offered better posit-ions in smaller districts of the province.

Some enlightened and farsighted families realised the need of learning Sindhi. The heads of such families not only learnt Sindhi themselves, but also arranged tuitions for their children.

Sindhi was a compulsory subject in schools, but some children needed add-itional support to come on a par with their class fellows. But then things changed.

Many people who have come to Karachi from India, Bengladesh, Afghanistan or other countries generally do not consider it important to learn Sindhi.

Eventually, this has kept them at a distance with the local people, and they feel hesitant about going beyond Karachi for personal or professional undertakings.

Dr Shahnaz Shallwani
Karachi

Published in Dawn, March 18th, 2025