Int’l Mother Language Day: Govt urged to declare Pashto as compulsory subject in KP schools

NOWSHERA: Writers and poets on Sunday urged the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government to declare Pashto as an official language in offices of government departments and a compulsory subject in schools from class one to Matric level.

The demand was made at a march organised by the Gandhara Pashto Adabi Jirga from Shobra Chowk to Nowshera Press Club. The march was organised in connection with the International Mother Language Day, which is being marked all over the world on February 21.

Faqir Shah Faqir of the Gandhara Pashto Adabi Jirga, provincial president Shakil Waheedullah of Mazdoor Kissan Party, Nawaz Khattak of Malgari Wakilan, Latif Shah Shahid of Malgari Leekwalan led the march and spoke on the occasion.

The speakers said that February 21 was being marked as International Mother Language Day and the government should declare Pashto as an official language in departments and a medium of instruction in educational institutions in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

They said that Pashto should be declared a compulsory subject from class one to Matric level in schools so the children could get education in their native language. They regretted that languages of aliens were imposed on the Pashtun nation due to which their own culture and Pashto language were being endangered.

They said that it was pathetic that Pashtuns were still raising banners and posters and holding marches to demand implementation of Pashto as a compulsory subject in syllabus to be taught in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa schools and official langue in government departments.