The students of Pashtunkhwa and Pashtunkhwa Milli Awami Party lodged a protest demonstration here on Tuesday for the recognition of Pashtun language on the eve of International Day of Mother Languages and demanded of the government to include the Pashtu language in the syllabus and declare it an official language in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa.
The demonstrators said the mother language is the source of cultural transmission and promotion of linguistic and cultural diversity and multilingualism, adding the languages are the most powerful instruments of preserving and developing our heritage.
All the moves to promote the dissemination of mother tongues will serve not only to encourage linguistic diversity and multilingual education but also to develop full awareness of linguistic and cultural traditions throughout the world and to inspire solidarity based on understanding, tolerance and dialogue, said the participants of the demonstration.
Scores of students, party workers and activists attended the gathering and chanted slogans to observe the importance of the day.
Speaking on the occasion, Secretary Information Raza Muhammad said: “Pashtu language is the mother and national language of millions of Pashtun residing in Pakistan. Nonetheless, the Pashtun have been deprived of getting educational knowledge in their mother language. The government has also denied its patronage regarding Pashtun language on national level.”
Pary Islamabad Chapter Secretary Haji Abdul Qayum said the secret of success behind the progress and development of emerging nations and developed countries lies in their policy discourse to adopt their own national and mother language as a means of education and learning in their institutions and universities.”
He said: “They awarded their native language an official status. The scenario of languages in Pakistan is quite contrary to the track of success stories in developed countries. Pakistan is a country where five various languages including Pashtun, Balochi, Sindhi, Saraiki and Punjabi with their own peculiar culture, history and literature are spoken and cherished across the nation. But the equality of nations living in Pakistan and to make the Pashtun language a source of education has been denied.”
