RAWALPINDI – Hamdard think tank Tuesday vehemently denounced the bill tabled in the National Assembly to declare eight languages as national languages. Hamdrad Shura Islamabad Branch Speaker and former Naval Chief, Admiral (Retd) Iftikhar Ahmed Sarhohi, at a press conference held at Hamdard Shura, Marer Chowk, said that it was the matter of great concern that 22 members of National Assembly had tabled this bill and the government forwarded it to the Senate.
He said that the bill was presented at a time when country was passing through worst political, economic and constitutional crises. “It was the clear message of founder of Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali that Urdu would be the national language of Pakistan because this was the only language in the country which could be spoken and understood easily,” said Sarohi, adding that it was also mentioned in the Constitution of Pakistan that Urdu would be the national language but unfortunately the law was not being followed in the country.
The former naval chief said if National Assembly would pass this bill then in which language our leaders would present Pakistan at international level and how government would manage the office record.
in eight different languages. “This would create more confusion and would also affect the inter-provisional harmony,” he added.
He said that no one could change the basics of constitution which are Islam, Federation, Parliament and Urdu as national language. He said provisional assembles has the authority to promote national languages and the cultures that’s why the recent bill to declare eight languages is totally baseless and should be cancelled as soon as possible.
Hamdard Think Tank has urged the Chief Justice of Pakistan Justice Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry to take notice of this bill and also direct the Lahore High Court to take quick action on the petition to declare Urdu as official language, which was pending for the last many years.