The Punjab Institute of Language, Art, and Culture (PILAC) sought suggestions on how to promote the diverse mother tongues spoken across various regions of Punjab.
As an initial step, it is being proposed to introduce mother-tongue studies as a subject in the primary school curriculum. However, a final decision will be made based on comprehensive recommendations from known literary figures from across the province.
In this regard, Dr. Khaqan Haider Ghazi, the Director of PILAC, had a meeting with esteemed local literary figures at the Arts Council Multan, including Dr. Salahuddin Haider, Khalid Masood, Raziuddin Razi, Shakir Hussain Shakir, Sajjad Jehanian, Zahoor Dhareeja, and Qamar Raza Shehzad. During the meeting, Dr. Khaqan urged the literary luminaries to provide insights and suggestions on how to effectively promote mother tongues in the province.
In the fruitful discussions, several valuable proposals were put forth by the literary persons.
Khalid Masood Khan stressed the necessity of introducing six more alphabets in the Punjabi script. Zahoor Dhareeja highlighted the positive example of Sarkari and Sindhi languages being taught in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Sindh provinces respectively, expressing hope that similar initiatives in Punjab would boost literacy rates and preserve linguistic diversity.
Raziuddin Razi, Sajjad Jehanian, Qamar Raza Shehzad and others proposed various ideas, including offering optional subjects in mother tongues in areas where locals speak multiple languages. This approach would allow students to choose their preferred mother tongue, thereby fostering a deeper connection to their linguistic heritage.
Dr. Khaqan also mentioned PILAC’s plans to establish regional offices, including one in Multan. He urged the meeting participants to identify suitable sites in this regard.
Responding to this, local writers suggested that PILAC should ensure these regional offices are adequately empowered, rather than assigning them lower-level officers who could not serve the purpose effectively.
The discussion reflects a concerted effort to preserve and promote the rich variety of languages and cultures within Punjab, paving the way for a more inclusive and linguistically vibrant society, said participants.
