Official language: LHC issues notices to Centre, Punjab
‘Move to abolish Urdu-medium schools violates the Constitution’.
‘Move to abolish Urdu-medium schools violates the Constitution’. PHOTO: lhc.gov.pk
LAHORE:
The Lahore High Court on Thursday issued notices to federal government as well as the Punjab government on a writ petition seeking directions to make Urdu the official language of the country.
Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar issued the order on a petition moved by a citizen, Sharif Nizami.
The petitioner’s counsel, AK Dogar, said the country would never make progress if Urdu was not made the official language.
He said the Punjab government wanted to replace Urdu school curriculum with English.
He said English-medium education was being forced on the province. He said Urdu-medium schools were being abolished in the Punjab under a notification issued on March 28, 2009.
The petitioner said all official work was done in English.
This, he said, was keeping the common man ignorant of facts.
He said a majority of people in the country could read and write Urdu.
He said under Article 251(1) Urdu was to become the official language within 15 years of the 1973 Constitution taking hold this never happened.
Dogar said countries like France and Germany had progressed by making their languages the official language.
He said Punjab government’s move was in sheer violation of the Constitution and requested the court to set it aside.
After hearing preliminary arguments, the court sought replies from both governments in 10 days.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2013.
The Lahore High Court on Thursday issued notices to federal government as well as the Punjab government on a writ petition seeking directions to make Urdu the official language of the country.
Justice Mazahar Ali Akbar issued the order on a petition moved by a citizen, Sharif Nizami.
The petitioner’s counsel, AK Dogar, said the country would never make progress if Urdu was not made the official language.
He said the Punjab government wanted to replace Urdu school curriculum with English.
He said English-medium education was being forced on the province. He said Urdu-medium schools were being abolished in the Punjab under a notification issued on March 28, 2009.
The petitioner said all official work was done in English.
This, he said, was keeping the common man ignorant of facts.
He said a majority of people in the country could read and write Urdu.
He said under Article 251(1) Urdu was to become the official language within 15 years of the 1973 Constitution taking hold this never happened.
Dogar said countries like France and Germany had progressed by making their languages the official language.
He said Punjab government’s move was in sheer violation of the Constitution and requested the court to set it aside.
After hearing preliminary arguments, the court sought replies from both governments in 10 days.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 28th, 2013.