Talking the talk: Aamer Hussein shares views on significance of Urdu language

Novelist speaks to Dr Nomanul Haq on the recent move to make Urdu the official language

KARACHI: Novelist Aamer Hussein and Professor Dr Syed Nomanul Haq were of the view that the decision to implement Urdu as the official language of Pakistan will remain useless unless done with proper research about the language.

These views were shared by them at a talk at the Institute of Business Administration's (IBA) University of Karachi campus.

While speaking about his writing, Hussein, a Karachi-born novelist who is now based in London, said when he writes in Urdu, he does not think in English. According to him, it is important to give the language in which you are thinking the same level of importance as the one in which you are writing. Hussein is a published author of both English and Urdu literature.

"English can be a good second and business language for Pakistan, such as in Tunisia, China and Korea," said Hussein. Replying to a question about whether or not the English language has become a status symbol in Pakistan, he said the importance of Urdu as national and spoken language cannot be ignored. However, English must be maintained as the business language of the country, as it is in the other parts of the world, he added.

A participant at the talk raised the issue of people of Pakistani origin living in the US or UK whose children do not learn Urdu there, due to which they remain unaware about its literature and history. Hussein explained that those children must first read in Roman Urdu, so that they can learn the Urdu accent, and once they are done with it, they should focus on learning Urdu as a language.

He told the audience that he dreams in as many as five languages. As a creative writing teacher himself, Hussein said creative writing cannot be learned through lectures, it can only be learned by practice. He said that these days literature has lost its impact. "Urdu literature is being written like a movie or a drama."

Dr Haq, a faculty member at IBA, spoke about the importance being given to English by our system. "To qualify for the CSS exams, it is important that one should know English, spoken and written, very well," he lamented. He added that the graduates from Urdu-medium colleges and universities are not offered good jobs, while students who graduate from private, English institutions are offered jobs as soon as they graduate. He emphasised that the importance and status we give to English in our society, has been given by society itself.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 10^th, 2015.