Owing to a paucity of funds, the administration of the National Language Authority (NLA) also called Muqtadra Qaumi Zaban has been forced to shelve two important projects aimed at promoting the national language.
A senior NLA official told Pakistan Today that the project of Scientific Technical and Modern Journal Supporting Material in National Language (STMJSM) and a project for developing Urdu software have been shelved as the federal government didn’t release grants for the projects.
“Under the (STMJSM) project, NLA was supposed to translate the world’s most read books into Urdu to support Pakistani researchers and students. Under the software project, NLA was supposed to make an Urdu data bank and developing material for the native speakers,” the official said.
He said due to abrupt suspension of these projects, not only deal a blow to effort to promote the Urdu language but also leave more than 20 people jobless.
Another NLA official, who asked not to be named, told Pakistan Today due to scraping of the (STMJSM) project the undergoing work on many books has been affected.
Talking to Pakistan Today, NLA Chairman Dr Anwar Ahmed said, “Scrapping of these projects is an injustice to the national language.” He said talks were underway with donors for getting financial support for the continuation of the projects.
On job security for the employees associated with the projects, he said: “I’m quite confident that NLA will get financial support from donors, it is unlikely that employees will be sacked,” he said.
For the financial year 2011-12, government earmarked Rs 40 million for the NLA. “The approved 40 million is peanuts for a department which is supposed to promote the national language,” said Dr Anwar.
NLA is an autonomous regulatory institution established to support the advancement and promotion of the national language.
