Language has been considered as a social resource similar to
religion. It has been seen by some as a resource stronger than religion;
languages have long been the basis of determining an individual’s
identity and origin. The responsibility of creating cultures and
sub-cultures also lies with the language factor. Language has been a
determining factor in shaping the geographic boundaries of nations since
the dawn of history. Historically, a very few communities have
determined their identity or claimed their independence on the basis
other than language, social or political reasons.
Pakistan is one of the rare examples; where it was created on the basis of religion; the only other country in the world created on the basis of religion is Israel. However, unlike Israel where no Jew was a native Israeli and they accepted Hebrew as their official language while majority spoke English, French, and Spanish; when Pakistan was created, the boundaries were marked on geographical basis and people from all over India migrated to the newly formed country. Each of the five provinces at the time of creation of Pakistan had their own native language and dialects. People from these provinces wanted to keep their own identity and this was the beginning of the language controversies in Pakistan.
There is no such controversy in Israel where their identity is being a Jew and if this example had to be emulated Arabic should have been the national language. However, the situation was very different for this newly formed country. Only a very few people knew Arabic at that time; Urdu was understood in most parts of the country as it was the common language of the local elite, while English was the official language of the previous rulers (British). Therefore, Urdu was made the state language while English was retained as the official language of the country. Even the constitution of the country in 1973 is written in English; and all official and judicial correspondence to-date are made in English.
The first language controversy in the newly formed Pakistan arose in Bengal and Quaid-e-Azam in 1948 declared that Bengali would be the official language of the province (East Pakistan); while Urdu will be retained as the state language. The Bangali language movement was a political and cultural agitation in East Pakistan that centred around the recognition of the Bengali language as an official language of Pakistan and a broader reaffirmation of the ethno-national consciousness of the Bengali people. Some historians cite this language controversy as a trigger which led to the creation of Bangladesh a quarter of century later.
Recently, the south Punjab has been demanding a separate province based on the Sirieki language spoken predominantly in that area. Similarly certain factions in central Sindh are demanding separate homeland for Sindhi speaking natives. While others demand Karachi and adjoining areas to be a separate province as Urdu is widely spoken instead of Sindhi.
This is a dangerous trend where people identify themselves with the language they speak rather than a nation identity. Languages define cultures and dialects sub-cultures. People of the same culture tend to live in harmony and when this harmony is lost nations tend to disintegrate. Russia is a recent example where a great nation formed on the basis of the ideology of Socialism and Marxism; disintegrated into tiny countries once the ideology was lost and the division on Russia was based on the language barriers that defined the boundaries of newly formed states.
Multilingualism and multiculturalism is being encourages in countries where people from various nations, coming from a variety of cultures and speaking a wide range of languages have immigrated and settled. United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada and Australia are example of countries which have been dealing with the issues of and controversies around multilingualism and multiculturalism.
Multilingualism is considered as one of the fundamental root cause of multiculturalism. If the controversies surrounding these phenomena are left unattended; extremism takes over. Language extremism leads to cultural divide - which may lead to lawlessness and create drifts within nations. In Pakistan Karachi is a glaring example of such a rift between Urdu speaking community sideling itself from and fighting against the Pashto speaking Pathans; both these communities are immigrants in Karachi. The Sindhi speaking community on the other hand feels ignored in the metropolitan city and have started agitating in interior Sindh on making Sindhi compulsory language at school. In most of interior Khyber Paktoon Khowa; one is lost if they do not know Pashto. Change of name of NWFP to KPK is an example of a subculture wanting their identity acknowledged. These are dangerous omen and politician instead of airing these controversies for their political gains need to think of ways and propogate harmony within the culture and subcultures of Pakistan.
Strategies need to be developed which should promote native languages but at the same time put more emphasis on the national language as a mark of national identity.
Anum Zahids
Pakistan is one of the rare examples; where it was created on the basis of religion; the only other country in the world created on the basis of religion is Israel. However, unlike Israel where no Jew was a native Israeli and they accepted Hebrew as their official language while majority spoke English, French, and Spanish; when Pakistan was created, the boundaries were marked on geographical basis and people from all over India migrated to the newly formed country. Each of the five provinces at the time of creation of Pakistan had their own native language and dialects. People from these provinces wanted to keep their own identity and this was the beginning of the language controversies in Pakistan.
There is no such controversy in Israel where their identity is being a Jew and if this example had to be emulated Arabic should have been the national language. However, the situation was very different for this newly formed country. Only a very few people knew Arabic at that time; Urdu was understood in most parts of the country as it was the common language of the local elite, while English was the official language of the previous rulers (British). Therefore, Urdu was made the state language while English was retained as the official language of the country. Even the constitution of the country in 1973 is written in English; and all official and judicial correspondence to-date are made in English.
The first language controversy in the newly formed Pakistan arose in Bengal and Quaid-e-Azam in 1948 declared that Bengali would be the official language of the province (East Pakistan); while Urdu will be retained as the state language. The Bangali language movement was a political and cultural agitation in East Pakistan that centred around the recognition of the Bengali language as an official language of Pakistan and a broader reaffirmation of the ethno-national consciousness of the Bengali people. Some historians cite this language controversy as a trigger which led to the creation of Bangladesh a quarter of century later.
Recently, the south Punjab has been demanding a separate province based on the Sirieki language spoken predominantly in that area. Similarly certain factions in central Sindh are demanding separate homeland for Sindhi speaking natives. While others demand Karachi and adjoining areas to be a separate province as Urdu is widely spoken instead of Sindhi.
This is a dangerous trend where people identify themselves with the language they speak rather than a nation identity. Languages define cultures and dialects sub-cultures. People of the same culture tend to live in harmony and when this harmony is lost nations tend to disintegrate. Russia is a recent example where a great nation formed on the basis of the ideology of Socialism and Marxism; disintegrated into tiny countries once the ideology was lost and the division on Russia was based on the language barriers that defined the boundaries of newly formed states.
Multilingualism and multiculturalism is being encourages in countries where people from various nations, coming from a variety of cultures and speaking a wide range of languages have immigrated and settled. United Kingdom, United States of America, Canada and Australia are example of countries which have been dealing with the issues of and controversies around multilingualism and multiculturalism.
Multilingualism is considered as one of the fundamental root cause of multiculturalism. If the controversies surrounding these phenomena are left unattended; extremism takes over. Language extremism leads to cultural divide - which may lead to lawlessness and create drifts within nations. In Pakistan Karachi is a glaring example of such a rift between Urdu speaking community sideling itself from and fighting against the Pashto speaking Pathans; both these communities are immigrants in Karachi. The Sindhi speaking community on the other hand feels ignored in the metropolitan city and have started agitating in interior Sindh on making Sindhi compulsory language at school. In most of interior Khyber Paktoon Khowa; one is lost if they do not know Pashto. Change of name of NWFP to KPK is an example of a subculture wanting their identity acknowledged. These are dangerous omen and politician instead of airing these controversies for their political gains need to think of ways and propogate harmony within the culture and subcultures of Pakistan.
Strategies need to be developed which should promote native languages but at the same time put more emphasis on the national language as a mark of national identity.
Anum Zahids
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