Pakistan replaces English with Urdu as official language

[Mav3rick]

Urdu is also alien to many. Anything new is alien. If Pashto or Persian adopted in 1947 by now they would also be "not so alien".

I say again Urdu and English were imposed by British. When imposed they were also alien in 1857 in what is now Pakistan. They got rid off Persian because they wanted to set up their own structures and get rid of the old order.

So what exactly do you propose, amendments in the '73 Constitution to declare some other language as the official language of Pakistan?

Nothing more to it. The two issues are not connected at all.

Also, I'm just antagonized by the Indian flag on this forum. Def.pk reeks of immaturity and I can't bear Pakistani teenagers lest a juvenile pod of morons from across the border. I may get to know you in time and we may also enjoy less edgy conversations. But not today.

Edit: 'Replacement' not 'ban'. No official is going to hang for speaking in English. Urdu is now the state's official language. Promoting and projecting our culture and heritage is a prime part of being Pakistani.

Building on that, the transition will take some time, probably a few years as many of us are not trained in the proper reporting terms of the language 'Urdu'.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

So what exactly do you propose, amendments in the '73 Constitution to declare some other language as the official language of Pakistan?

Too late now. 100 years of British and 70 years of Pakistan investment in this so too late now. However let us not sing songs of Urdu being 'native' because it is not for the majority. Before British came in 1849 in this part of the world Urdu was practically unknown. Persian was used as official language and locals used their vernacular.

I say keep English. At least it offers a world language. Urdu has as much pedigree as English. The latter though offers enormous advantage. To sum up the brutal reality.

English offers us road to the world
Urdu offers us a road to India.

Both English and Urdu are gifts of the British.

 

[jamal18]

Add to that:

- Germans
- Japanese
- French
- Spanish
- Koreans
- Dutch
- Swedish
- Danes
- Finish
- Norwegians
- Polish
- Czech
- Russians

Even smaller states like Latvia, Estonia, Lithuania promote their own languages.

The list of developed countries who have developed in their native languages is quite long.

This decision is very good! Teach English as an optional foreign language, but we must promote our national lanugage!

These words could have been taken from my mouth!

Estonia, population 1.3 million. Official language Estonian and language of education Estonian. Known as the Baltic tiger for its economic boom as a source of IT.

And no, they didn't need English!

When will Pakistanis realise that it's normal for a people to have their own language as the official language?

Too late now. 100 years of British and 70 years of Pakistan investment in this so too late now. However let us not sing songs of Urdu being 'native' because it is not for the majority. Before British came in 1849 in this part of the world Urdu was practically unkown. Persian was used as official language and locals used thier vernacular.

I say keep English. At least it offers a world language. Urdu has as much pedigree as English. The latter though offers enormous advantage. To sum up the brutal reality.

English offers us road to the world
Urdu offers us a road to India.

Appreciate your commitment to Persian. But every single country has a road to the world without English.

Those who want to learn English can learn as much as they want, just it won't be imposed on others.

 

[Indus Pakistan]

These words could have been taken from my mouth!

Estonia, population 1.3 million. Official language Estonian and language of education Estonian. Known as the Baltic tiger for its economic boom as a source of IT.

And no, they didn't need English!

When will Pakistanis realise that it's normal for a people to have their own language as the official language?



Appreciate your commitment to Persian. But every single country has a road to the world without English.

Those who want to learn English can learn as much as they want, just it won't be imposed on others.

Yes indeed. Estonian learn Estonian

Pashtun learn Urdu
Punjabi learn Urdu

See the differance. Estonians don't get Russian shoved down their throats although Russian is very similar. If you followed the Estonian model that your touting the following would apply. Czech and Slovak are mutally intelligible.

Pashtun lean Pashto
Estonian learn Estonian
Punjabi learn Punjabi
Czech learn Czech
Sindhi learn Sindhi
Slovak learn Slovakian
Baloch learn Baloch

My point here is not to suggest changing anything. It is too late but please let us not sing songs along the lines of alien versus native. Both English and Urdu are alien. Both were applied on us by British imperialists on us post 1850s.

 

[jamal18]

Yes indeed. Estonian learn Estonian

Pashtun learn Urdu
Punjabi learn Urdu

See the differance. Estonians don't get Russian shoved down their throats although Russian is very similar. If you followed the Estonian model that your touting the following would apply. Czech and Slovak are mutally intelligible.

Pashtun lean Pashto
Estonian learn Estonian
Punjabi learn Punjabi
Czech learn Czech
Sindhi learn Sindhi
Slovak learn Slovakian
Baloch learn Baloch

My point here is not to suggest changing anything. It is too late but please let us not sing songs along the lines of alien versus native. Both English and Urdu are alien. Both were applied on us by British imperialists on us post 1850s.

I don't quite understand what your saying, is it along the lines that urdu is an alien language to the provinces?

I am happy for every pakistani language to thrive, isn't pushto the official language of KP?, and baluchi of baluchistan?

Anyway, perhaps the elimination of English creates a vacuum for other languages to expand.

 

[coffee_cup]

If you follow the European model then Pakistan would have:-

Pashto
Punjabi
Sindhi
Brahui
Baloch
etc

Give you a example

Latvian - 1.7 million speakers
Estonian - 1.2 million speakers

Estonian language - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Latvian language - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Then you have examples of Swiss. They are multi ethnic like Pakistan. So they have German, French, Italian and Romanch as official language. That is being fair to each community. Nobody say anything about unity. Swiss are far more united and stable then we are in Pakistan.

Switzerland - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Bhai Sahab, regional native languages should be promoted and also the ones you have mentioned. But there must be one language within the country which is spoken and understood by every one. And Urdu takes that place perfectly.

Otherwise you'll have cases like in Belgium among Walloons and Flemish.

Even Germany had so many different languages before unifying under one "Hochdeutsch". The same model can be applied in Pakistan as well.

As i said earlier, no problem teaching English, German, French, Chinese, Russian etc as foreign languages in Pakistan, but we must promote one true national language that binds us all.

The example of Swiss does not really apply to Pakistan. This small country is one of the richest countries in the world and as long as people are rich and well protected by the govt, social issues like the ones we are facing do not haunt them. Crime rate stays low (also ethnic based crime).

PS. Romanch is not an official language in Switzerland (not at federal level at least).

Yes indeed. Estonian learn Estonian

Pashtun learn Urdu
Punjabi learn Urdu

See the differance. Estonians don't get Russian shoved down their throats although Russian is very similar. If you followed the Estonian model that your touting the following would apply. Czech and Slovak are mutally intelligible.

Pashtun lean Pashto
Estonian learn Estonian
Punjabi learn Punjabi
Czech learn Czech
Sindhi learn Sindhi
Slovak learn Slovakian
Baloch learn Baloch

My point here is not to suggest changing anything. It is too late but please let us not sing songs along the lines of alien versus native. Both English and Urdu are alien. Both were applied on us by British imperialists on us post 1850s.

Correction:
Pashtun learn Pashto and Urdu
Punjabi learn Punjabi and Urdu
Sindhi learn Sindhi and Urdu
Baloch learn Baloch and Urdu

As you can see from above, there is one common langauge, which most of Pakistanis understand and speak, therefore perfectly placed as becoming one true national language.

 

[Wolfhound]

Anyway, i am f*cked. I now need to learn how to read urdu again.

 

[jamal18]

Anyway, i am f*cked. I now need to learn how to read urdu again.

LOL!

You see, there is a benefit!

 

[VCheng]

Too late now. 100 years of British and 70 years of Pakistan investment in this so too late now. However let us not sing songs of Urdu being 'native' because it is not for the majority. Before British came in 1849 in this part of the world Urdu was practically unknown. Persian was used as official language and locals used their vernacular.

I say keep English. At least it offers a world language. Urdu has as much pedigree as English. The latter though offers enormous advantage. To sum up the brutal reality.

English offers us road to the world
Urdu offers us a road to India.

Both English and Urdu are gifts of the British.

Another aspect that many people ignore is the issue of scripts and the ease of using computer keyboards and online tools for Urdu compared to English. May be romanized Urdu like the Turkish model may be a better compromise?

 

[Kaniska]

Pakistan replaces English with Urdu as official language

Javed Rana

Press TV, Islamabad

Pakistan has abolished English as an official language after almost seven decades of independence from Britain. Over 150 years ago, Britain officially replaced English with Persian and Urdu in the Indian sub continent which was divided into two separate states. Our correspondent Javed Rana has more from Islamabad.

More (video): PressTV - Pakistan replaces English with Urdu as official language

So till now, your office work was happening in English? ...I am just surprised, if some leader is not aware of English, then how he/she was debating in the parliament?

 

[Armstrong]

Is there a credible link !

 

[jamal18]

Another aspect that many people ignore is the issue of scripts and the ease of using computer keyboards and online tools for Urdu compared to English. May be romanized Urdu like the Turkish model may be a better compromise?

Never!

 

[Mughal-Prince]

It will be difficult to communicate with international world without english. English is necessary as all modren knowledge bank in growing rapidly in English not in Urdu. Therefore only English must be the official language in Pakistan.

Sir please teach this theory to Israel, China, Germany, French, Poland bla bla bla bla and ask them to Make english their official language

If this news is true I am Officially become son of soil today .

I will not pose as a victim but will play a better part for my nation In Sha ALLAH.

Muger aik baat yaad rukhna Bhai Tak Mat Pohonchna

 

[Butchcassidy]

Great. So we replaced it with one British gift ( English) for another British gift ( Urdu )

Remind me what was the official language before the British came along?

Farsi

 

[Mughal-Prince]

Great. So we replaced it with one British gift ( English) for another British gift ( Urdu )

Remind me what was the official language before the British came along?

It was Farsi bhai jan and Farsi been replaced with Urdu and it creates a huge impact at it as whole literature been poured down in urdu in few years thats why it become so rich in very small period of time. Aap ki baton say Afghani Boo aa rahi hai