Dialogue by Gandhara Hindko Board

Govt urged to promote native languages, cultures

By Our correspondent

MANSEHRA: The speakers at a function on Wednesday urged the government to take steps for promotion of all Pakistani languages and cultures.

“If both the government and civil society do not come forward to give due importance to regional languages, this ancient heritage will vanish,” said Professor Dr Ashraf Adeel, a known academician and founding vice-chancellor of the Hazara University, at the dialogue.

Titled “Hindko literature and culture,” the function was organised by the Hazara division chapter of the Gandhara Hindko Board, a Peshawar-based literary and cultural organisation which works for the promotion of Hindko and other fellow languages.

People from various walks of life, including educationists, academics, language experts and historians attended event.

Dr Ashraf Adeel said families should prefer to speak mother languages at homes as it was the easiest and a better way to communicate with children.

“Though the importance of national and English languages couldn’t be ruled out in this modern era, the regional languages offer the easiest way of communication within the family and outside,” he elaborated.

A noted Hindko writer, poet and research scholar, Mohammad Ziauddin, said it was encouraging to note that the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan had approved the BS programme for the Hindko language, adding the language teaching should be introduced at the masters’ level as well.

“At present, only a private sector university in Peshawar has plans to award bachelor degree in the Hindko language.

The government should ensure that the public sector universities follow suit,” said Ziauddin, who is general secretary of the Gandhara Hindko Board and chief of the Executive Committee of the Gandhara Hindko Academy.

He talked of the historical background of the Hindko language, saying it was one of the ancient languages of the region and needed to be preserved and promoted along with others.

Akhtar Naeem said that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf government should give importance to native languages and promote them like tourism and other sectors.

Muhammad Raza Khan Tanoli, Sahibzada Jawad Alfaizi, Managing Director, Kohsar Academy, former Member Provincial Assembly Sajida Tabassum, Abdul Rasheed, district officer social welfare, Dr Adil and others also addressed the gathering.

The speakers urged the government to make arrangements for teaching the Hindko language and literature at the colleges and universities as it was the second main language of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.