We can insert an excerpt of Arabic and Persian text into an Urdu article without any changes in spellings because our alphabet has all the letters of both languages.

We can also write most of Hindi words with our alphabet. The pronunciation of our letters is from Turkish. (Our pronunciation of letters, such as B (Bay) and T (Tay), is as in Turkish, not as in Hindi, Persian or Arabic.)

Despite such international characteristics, Urdu does not have letters to convey unique sounds of our regional languages. The Muqtadara Qaumi Zaban (National Language Authority) can meet the deficiency.

Muqtadara may engage experts to identify unique sounds of all of our regional languages, including unique sounds that are common in two or more languages. Finally, the letters that represent the unique sounds in various languages may be collected.

Then calligraphists and handwriting experts may be asked to identify letters representing unique sounds in regional languages that are easy to write by hand as well as more readable in computer composing.

If some letters are not easy to write, experts may look at alphabetical characters of non-Pakistani languages that are written in Arabic script. The languages that created unique characters to represent their unique sounds include Usmani Turkish (before adoption of Latin script), Uighur (of Sinkiang, China), Kurdish (of Iraq) and Jawi (of Malaysia).

Most suitable characters may be selected to represent unique sounds of our regional languages.

The characters finally selected may be incorporated in the national alphabet of Urdu. Muqtadara has already done a great job by incorporating some characters in the alphabet. After inclusion of characters for unique sounds of regional languages, we shall have a national alphabet for Urdu.

The national alphabet will allow us to quote poetry and prose of regional languages into Urdu text with true representation of their unique sounds. An Urdu writer will be able to quote Latif Bhitai, Rahman Baba or Waris Shah, without distorting the original words.  Urdu readers, knowing the national alphabet, will have no problem reading the quotations.

All regional languages use ‘naskh’ script (except Punjabi). Naskh has a large number of typefaces, allowing variety in layout of magazine pages and advertisements. (Nastalique has just one.) Naskh is also more suitable for computing purposes, and should be adopted for all purposes, while Nastalique may be used for occasional special effects, such as a book title, signboard or a headline.

With the use of national alphabet, Urdu computer software will also be available also for all regional languages, allowing them to make full use of computing.

The national alphabet will be only for use in Urdu. It will not replace scripts of regional languages. People speaking those languages will continue with their present scripts.

For the development of Urdu national alphabet, only experts of various languages should be consulted in their individual capacity. Later, Muqtadara may compile a dictionary of common words of regional languages, using the national alphabet and giving meanings in Urdu.

It will help Urdu readers to know meanings of words of regional languages, quoted in an Urdu article or book.

The national alphabet will be a great step in promoting harmony and understanding among various regions of the country.

MUHAMMAD ABD AL HAMEED Lahore