The demand was made by the representatives of the 30 languages spoken in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa while speaking at the first day of the two-day moot arranged by the literary, cultural and social welfare organization, Gandhara Hindko Board, in collaboration with Forum for Language Initiative (FLI that works for the preservation and promotion of the disadvantaged and neglected languages.
The literati and experts on 30 languages spoken in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa — Pashto, Hindko, Seraiki, Khowar, Indus Kohistani, Gojri, Badeshi, Bateri, Chilisso, Dameli, Gawri, Gawarbati, Gawro, Kalasha, Kalkoti, Kamveri, Kataweri, Maddagalashti, Pahari, Palula, Pashai, Farsi, Sirikoli, Shina, Sheikhani,Torwali, Ormuri, Ushojo, Wakhi and Yidgha — attend the moot.
The experts of most of the languages said that the teaching of five languages as proposed by the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa government would go against those languages which lacked official patronage.
Senator Farhat Abbas of the Pakistan Peoples Party inaugurated the moot. In her inaugural remarks, the senator said she was happy to see the experts gathered here to discuss ways to preserve and promote their respective languages and cultures. The senator said the linguistic and cultural diversity of Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa lent it a distinctive place among all the provinces of the country.
She said the cultural diversity was the essence of democratic societies and the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa was blessed with that feature in abundance. The legislator said her party respected all the languages and cultures and promised to continue to work for their preservation and promotion.
Speaking as chief guest of the first session, Chairman of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Textbook Board Prof (Dr) Fazlur Rahim Marwat, said no language would be taught by force at schools.
Accompanied by a Hindko language expert, Farzana Maroof of Abbottabad, he said initially five languages would be introduced at the educational institutions for teaching but in the second phase the remaining languages would also be taught. He allayed the concerns of the representatives of smaller languages about the compulsory teaching of Pashto and said that fair treatment would be meted to all the languages without any bias.
Inamullah Torwali from Swat deplored that the government was not giving proper attention to all the languages of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa. An expert of the Torwali language, he said, “It is strange to note that at a time when the native languages are facing a raw deal, some international organizations and countries have come forward to work for their preservation and promotion.”
Prof (Dr) Elahi Bakhsh Awan, a Hindko language scholar from England, joined the conference through audio conference. He said it was encouraging to note that activists from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa were actively working for the preservation and promotion of their respective languages.
He lauded the Gandhara Hindko Board for holding the event. The scholar did his PhD on Hindko phonology from the University of London in 1974 and has compiled a comprehensive Hindko dictionary and several other books on various aspects of Hindko.
Published in The Express Tribune, December 26th, 2010.
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