Minority languages are regularly discriminated against. This is something that must stop
NAUSHAHRO FEROZE: Every individual has linguistic rights. Everyone has the right to choose one’s language or languages for communication both within the private and the public spheres. Though international law ensures that linguistic minorities can use their own languages in their community, trouble in this regard often stays alive at the national level. The state is known to suppress the identities of smaller ethnic communities by failing to give clout to the smaller languages, which are fast dying in Pakistan. Such measures, while being important for the survival of the state, are actually a cause of much disgruntlement for the many ethnic communities living within the geographical boundaries of the state, who begin to view the state as a threat to their identity.
While states are allowed to approve a national language, and may adopt more than one, they cannot discriminate against minority languages. Unfortunately, as we can all see, this is not the case in Pakistan. Minority languages are regularly discriminated against. This is something that must stop if the state wants to preserve its national fabric.
Mohsin al-Mahesar
Published in The Express Tribune, January 16th, 2015.
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