A question about Pakistan

[Tanweer]

Hi friends,

I don't understand why Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. Urdu is a language of north India. As far as I know, Pakistani languages are Sindhi, Panjabi, Baluchi, Pashtu and Brahui. Why couldn't one of these become the national language? When our ancestors were with the Pakistanis (i.e. before 1971), Bangla and Urdu were the national languages. Now only Urdu remains. But what happened to other ones? Are those languages so undeveloped that they don't possess the quality of being the national language?

Tanweer Malik

[zaavia]

Originally posted by Tanweer
Hi friends,

I don't understand why Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. Urdu is a language of north India. As far as I know, Pakistani languages are Sindhi, Panjabi, Baluchi, Pashtu and Brahui. Why couldn't one of these become the national language? When our ancestors were with the Pakistanis (i.e. before 1971), Bangla and Urdu were the national languages. Now only Urdu remains. But what happened to other ones? Are those languages so undeveloped that they don't possess the quality of being the national language?

Tanweer Malik

You are right that Urdu is the language of Northern India, for example Uttar Pradesh, CP etc. In Pakistan, the extensively spoken language is Punjabi (almost 45 %) other languages spoken are Sindhi (19 %), Pashto (20 %), Balochi and Brahui (10 %) and Urdu (6 %).

Pakistan is a multi cultural, multi linguistic country, if a language from any of the provinces is imposed the rest of the provinces will start demanding that their languages should also be declared national languages.

We cant afford 5-6 national languages, most of the ethnicities in Pakistan have preserved their languages except the Punjabis, where in all larger cities I see the parents speaking Punjabi amongst each other and the children speaking Urdu. Who knows within 20-25 years time Urdu might be Pakistan's most widely spoken language.

Its not important which language is made the national language, because national language serves the purpose of creating a unity amongst the people and the language Urdu is doing very well in this regard.

Before independence too, Urdu had been used as a media for interaction in meetings and conferences. Allama Iqbal the graet visionary who gave the idea for creation of Pakistan has his works in both Urdu and Farsi languages.

[Tanweer]

Tell me, in which language do you Pakistanis have your dream at night? In your own language or in Urdu? In which language do babies call their mothers?

And finally, in which language do you tell your sweetheart, " I love you " ?

[mhnew]

I guess it depend on the language the person prefers.

I think some of my friends would simply say "I love you".
Others might use Urdu.
Also it depends on the common language between them. In certain cases it may be Urdu only, then Urdu would be used.

[Faisal_Aslam]

A.A

Infact I only know Urdu and do not know any local languages.

So It is easy for me ...

But some of my friends when want to talk in English Then

First They think Punjabi (as they can only think in Punjabi)
-- then they translate Punjabi thoughts into Urdu
---- then they translate Urdu into English.

I can only think in Urdu and then translate my thoughts into English to speak. So it is bit easier for me.

Faisal Aslam

[zaavia]

Assalam u Alaikum,
Although I have been living in Punjab, but I have studied Urdu all the way, in the schools we spoke Urdu, in the house we spoke Urdu. My parents would speak in Punjabi with each other, and Urdu with us. That's the reason that now, I am more comfortable in Urdu as compared to Punjabi. Infact when I went to the university, I used to have a lot of problem in conversating with people who didnt know Urdu. I think Pakistani Punjab is the only place in the world where its children mostly speak Urdu, and not their mother tongue Punjabi.

[toronto_bashi]

The only explanation I can give is that through the various changes in Pakistan's history mainly because of politics and government Pakistan has slowly changed from their own language/s to only one major language "urdu"

Just shows how time changes everything, even a countries national language.