ISLAMABAD - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is considering to speak in Urdu during his much anticipated meeting with US President Barrack Obama next month, The Nation learnt yesterday. “There has been no decision yet but there is a possibility that Nawaz Sharif speaks in Urdu as we have started efforts to introduce Urdu as our main (official) language,” a source close to the premier confided.
“There are proposals from some advisors that this would be moral boosting for the nation. Even if they speak to media after the meeting and the prime minister replies to the questions in Urdu, we will be among the nations who prefer their own language,” the close aide added.
Mr Sharif will meet President Obama on his invitation at the White House on October 22. The invitation came during a recent visit to Islamabad by US National Security Adviser Susan Rice who met the premier.
US officials say that the meeting is intended to advance the mutual interests and address the areas of concern, particularly terrorist and militant attacks emanating from the Pakistani soil. But before meeting President Obama, the prime minister will address the 70th session of UN General Assembly in which he will highlight Pakistan`s foreign policy and national priorities. He will also hold meetings with world leaders and officials from various countries. The government is currently holding consultations about raising the issue of Indian interference in Pakistan’s affairs at the world forum.
“The PM acknowledges that many heads of the states and governments speak in their own languages during meetings and news conferences so a Pakistani leader can do the same. But it is still being considered whether to start with the UN General Assembly, the Obama meeting or wait for some later event,” said the source. Last year, Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi spoke in Hindi as he addressed the UN General Assembly session, emulating former premier Atal Behari Vajpayee.
Urdu and Hindi are not among the official languages of the UN, which are Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish but the speakers may opt to address in their own languages which could be translated for the audience by the interpreters.
Also read: SC calls for implementation of Urdu at all levels
In July, the federal government had told the Supreme Court that the prime minister had issued directives to grant official status to Urdu language, after which the President, the premier, federal and provincial ministers, and government employees will deliver speeches in Urdu - whether inside or outside the country. Secretary Information Mohammed Azam said that under Prime Minister Sharif’s directions, websites for government institutions, utility bills, driving licences, passports and other documents will carry text in Urdu alongside English.
On May 14 this year, the cabinet had decided that Urdu would replace English as the official language as stated in Article 251 of the Constitution.
On Tuesday last, the Supreme Court ordered the concerned authorities to immediately enforce Urdu as official language at the government offices.
Information Minister Pervez Rashid says practical measures would be taken soon to implement the court decision on the issue.
Recently, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif had ordered to make Urdu as an official language for all government communications including national and foreign speeches made by government officials. Upon the approval of the constitution in 1973, Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa kept Urdu as their official language and even provincial assembly members took their oath in the same language.
Federal Minister of Planning National Reforms and Development Ahsan Iqbal said that the country is not entirely abandoning English, which will still be taught alongside Urdu in schools. “It means Urdu will be a second medium of language and all official business will be bilingual,” he said.
