Urdu as a national language of Pakistan brought the worst result.

The national language is supposed to unite a country but in Pakistan, the imposition of Urdu as a national language has caused division and resentment between the two wings of the country. It is widely recognized that historic Bengali language movement in all its phases was, one of the most defining moments of Pakistan’s history that led to the foundation of the language-based nationalism, which ultimately resulted in the emergence of today’s independent Bangladesh. Two Nation Theory was the binding force between two parts where nothing was common in culture, except the religion and Muslim identity that was shared by the bulk of the population in two wings. The oppressed people of East Bengal had joined Pakistan movement with the hope of achieving a better standard of living consequent upon the establishment of an independent state.

Pakistan was beset with significant inter-regional rivalries from the very beginning and the imposition of Urdu enhanced differences and people of East Pakistan became the language-activists and language-martyrs. This movement led them to think about the liberation from the subjugation of West Pakistan and laid down the foundation of a separate homeland. Bengali was adopted as a national language in 1954 after inflicting a lot of damage. The worst on the government’s part was to degrade and destroy the local languages and cultures in the name of a national language. No doubt, language alone neither separate nor integrates a nation but lasting legacies of the Bengali language movement and the language martyrs have transcended the test of time.

In fact, the imposition of Urdu without much consideration was resented among many people of Pakistan and it was the biggest mistake to choose it as the national language of Pakistan with long-term negative consequences. Ignoring this issue with falsehoods and illusions brought the worst result. The language issue was one of the major causes of the loss of East Pakistan. There were language riots in Sindh during the 1970s and it was argued that learning of Urdu is simply for social and economic communicational necessities under Urdu-dominated system of the country. Urdu has no basis in Pakistan prior to 1947 when it was declared a national language. The British colonialists applied this instrument to keep Indian Muslims away from the Muslim culture of Afghanistan, Iran or Central Asia. Persian was the language of the Muslim rulers and the British’s recommendation of Urdu as the Court Vernacular was a conspiracy against Persian, that was the official language of the Muslim rule and was the source of the union among the Muslim tribes of the adjoining areas.

The need for the time is to give proper status and respect to all languages of Pakistan with respect for Urdu and people should be given freedom to learn or speak it. Promotion of native languages is essential in their respective regions and it is the best solution to the problem. All native languages of Pakistan should be given liberty to flourish and this will ensure the preservation of our languages, culture, unity, and pride by ensuring respect among the various ethnic and distinctive groups of Pakistani nationhood. Ethnicity has already divided the country. India got freedom at the same time and is an independent single nation-state for seven decades having a dozen of developed languages and their own literature in separate regions that make the one Indian Union. Switzerland is a multi-lingual country and has a successful multi-linguistic system. There are other similar examples. If Pakistani leaders would have managed the conflicts without suppressing the public demand, the breakup of the country could have been averted.

We need to introduce local languages through our educational system and the younger generation should be taught at primary levels. However, it would take time but a positive change can be brought by applying this strategy. The hatred among different ethnic groups such as Sindhi, Punjabi, Urdu, Pashto, Kachhi, Thari, Lasi, Lari, Saraiki, Gujarati, Marwari in Sindh province, Brahvi, Makrani, Rakhshani, Sulemani, Saraiki, Punjabi, Pashto in Balochistan province, Pashto, Punjabi, Chitrali, Derawali, Hindko, Kohati, Kohistani, Peshawari, Sawati in Khyber Pukhtoon Khawa province, Punjabi, Urdu, Pashto, Multani, Derawali, Balochi in Punjab province can be eliminated. The only language that stays forever is the language that masses adopt with their free will. In countries like UK, USA or Canada, people speak and learn English without even going to school. Thus, knowing English in these countries does not make anyone elite. However, if the language issue was not generated, India would have never got the opportunity to highlight other grievances and they would never come to the surface and there was nothing inevitable about the breakup of Pakistan. If it had not occurred, Pakistan would have been the world’s largest Muslim democracy today and maybe a big economic power of Asia.