First-ever digital Urdu dictionary launched

ISLAMABAD: President Mamnoon Hussain said on Wednesday that digitalisation of Urdu dictionary shall preserve a thousand-year-old culture and tradition of the land.

He made these remarks at the launch of the web edition of the Urdu language dictionary at the Aiwan-e-Sadr in Islamabad.

Hussain said the Urdu dictionary was the biggest treasure of the country's literary history, adding that the digitalisation was a step forward in the promotion of Urdu language.



President Hussain said the language was a source of identity for literature and culture.

He expressed his satisfaction at the digitalisation of Urdu dictionary as it would help the new generation gain a detailed understanding of the language.

The president lauded the efforts of Advisor to Prime Minister on National History and Literary Heritage, Irfan Siddiqui, under whose patronage Editor-in-chief of Urdu Dictionary Board Aqeel Abbas Jaffery achieved the digitalisation of 22 editions of the dictionary.



"Only those languages are immortalised whose historic background, vocabulary, forms and usage of words in different ages and lingual experiences are compiled in form of a proper and scientific glossary," he added.

He said that nations that document their cultural history have nothing to fear from foreign cultural invasion.

President Hussain emphasised the preservation of rare books, literature and research material used in the preparation of Urdu dictionary as a national asset, added that the government would fulfill the requirements of related institutions in their efforts.

"Maintaining a dictionary was not only an academic activity but a technical matter as well."