Activists demand Punjabi as compulsory subject

LAHORE : Hundreds of Punjabi activists, including intellectuals, lawyers, students, poets and writers staged a rally outside the Lahore Press Club on Saturday and demanded due place for their mother tongue.

They were chanting slogans in favour of Punjab and burnt effigy of Provincial Minister Fayyazul Hassan Chohan over using “derogatory remarks” against the Punjabi language. The participants in the rally carried placards and banners, inscribed with demands to make Punjabi a compulsory subject from primary to graduation level. The rally was attended by Punjabi Parchar, Punjab National Party Pakistan and other parties.

The speakers said the Article 251 of the constitution of Islamic Republic of Pakistan binds the provinces to adopt necessary measures for the promotion, teaching and use of regional languages. He said mother language plays a vital role in basic education as it provides better understanding and learning to children. They were of the view that literacy rate could be increased by teaching Punjabi. They said that Punjabi journalism could be promoted by teaching Punjabi in Punjab province. They said the Punjab government should ensure provision of fundamental rights of education to children in mother language.

Diep Saeeda, a social activist, demanded the government implement the decision of the superior judiciary that children be taught in their mother language. The government has always shown negligence in promotion of the Punjabi language and culture. Perveen Malik, general secretary of Pakistan Punjab Adbi Board, said that Punjabi literature should be promoted in society. Punjab National Party President Ahmed Raza Watto said there is a dire need for establishing a Punjabi university in Lahore to promote the Punjabi language in the province. The government should provide more facilities and financial aid to Punjabi writers, he added. The participants reiterated that they would continue to strive for achieve the objective, The rally ended outside the Punjab Assembly.