At a time when the world has evolved into a global village and usage of English language in Pakistan is putting the non-English speaking inhabitants under a tremendous complexion, Muhammad Saleem Pasha feels utmost pride at a launching of his travelogue titled ‘Niagara De Des Wich’ – a travelogue of journey to Canada, written in Punjabi language.
The travelogue, comprising 135 pages with the friendly price tag of Rs 200 and published by ‘Lehran Adbi Board’ Lahore, was launched on Wednesday at South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) in association with Islamabad Cultural Forum (ICF) and Panchayat.
A galaxy of Punjabi writers and intellectuals including Prof Ashfaq Saleem Mirza, Jaleel Aali, Ali Mohammad Farshi, Hameed Shahid, Dr Azhar Mahmood Chaudhry, Waseem Gardezi and others, addressed on the occasion congratulating the author on preferring Punjabi as a medium of expression over other languages like Urdu or English.
Talking to this scribe, the writer said, “It is an age of ‘English’ and our next generation is not familiar with its mother language (Punjabi); consequently, the Punjabi language is on the verge of decline because of rapid influence of Urdu in the country and English as a medium of education that is also borrowed from the West.”
“We feel complex if we are not familiar with English. However, If we do not speak or write Punjabi, and unable to keep this asset alive, we will soon be deprived of from our mother language – that is one of the wide-spoken languages in the world,” Pasha said in his typical Punjabi accent.
Hailing from Gujrat (to which he pronounced Gujrat Shareef), and living and working in the federal capital for the last 2 decades, Saleem Pasha warned if younger generation did not show their interests in promotion of Punjabi language, they would be rotten soon.
Talking about the ‘Niagara De Des Wich’, Pasha said as he was a Punjabi writer and a poet, he preferred to express his experience while staying in Canada for over 20 days on a trip he was invited to attend for ‘World Punjabi Conference’ in August 2011.
Dedicating the travelogue to his spouse, Samina Akhtar, Pasha said Ibn-e-Insha and Mustansar Hussain Tarar were the leading names in writing travelogue and he was sure that he did not have the calibre to match their in expression.
“But this is, nevertheless, a serious effort in promotion of Punjabi language here in Pakistan as well as aboard. Canada is one of the beautiful places in the world, where everyone is treated equally. Peace and justice is the core issues that differentiate the social atmosphere of both the country. We have no peace and justice here but it is available for each individual in Canada. This is actually the crux of my travelogue – based upon my candid personal experiences in shape of this book,” Pasha explained. Pasha says he is basically a painter and his exhibitions have been put on display countrywide.
“Currently, I am working as a publication in-charge in the Ministry of Commerce. My first publication in form of poetry book titled ‘Wakh Hon To Pehlan’ has been acknowledged widely in 2005. I have attended a number of conferences abroad including India in promotion of Punjabi literature,” he maintained.
Addressing on the occasion, Prof. Ashfaq Saleem Mirza, Jaleel Aali, Ali Mohammad Farshi, Hameed Shahid, Dr Azhar Mahmood Chaudhry, and Waseem Gardezi said people often considered Punjabi language as a ‘satirical language’ but as Pasha mentioned in his travelogue it was the fifth widely spoken language in a developed country of Canada.
“Literacy organisations and Punjabi writers in Pakistan have done extensively for the promotion of Punjabi over the years, but due to lack of access of Punjabi language to international sphere, Punjabi is dwindling. However, Pasha has been doing it since decades to push this language on a larger spectrum writing this travelogue,” speakers said.