The federal government on Saturday instructed all public and private sector universities to use Urdu as the official language in all correspondence.
The instruction were passed through Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training and the Higher Education Commission (HEC) which direct varsities to translate their respective acts, statutes, and websites into Urdu.
The HEC has directed all higher education institutions in the country to implement the order by September 15.
The HEC circular, which kept in spirit with the new directions was written in Urdu, read, “As per the Article 251 of the Constitution of Pakistan, the national language of Pakistan is Urdu, and arrangements shall be made for it being used for official and other purposes. For the purpose, the prime minister of Pakistan has approved a framework. The recipients are directed to take appropriate measure for the implementation of the framework.”
The approved framework attached with the circular states that the public and semi-private departments under the federal government are directed to translate and publish their policies in Urdu within three months.
The framework has also directed government departments to publish their rules and regulations, and provide their forms in Urdu as well as in English language.
Furthermore, the framework stated that all international and local speeches made by the president and prime minister will also be in Urdu language.
