Why is Pakistan swapping English for Urdu?
The government is set to make Urdu its official language, 68 years after the country achieved independence from Britain.
Pakistan is to abolish English as its official language in favour of Urdu.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is backing the move, which would mean a range of government documents – including passports, utility bills and websites – will be published in Urdu.
All speeches made at home and abroad, from the president down to state representatives, will also be conducted in Urdu.
The plan is to completely replace English with Urdu for official business within the next 10 to 15 years.
It follows concerns that many young Pakistanis are shunning their national dress and language to adopt a more Western point of view.
Is this part of a cultural and nationalist revival? Or will it lead to a breakdown in communications?
And how does this translate around the world?
Presenter: Richelle Carey
Guests:
Javed Siddiq – Resident editor at Nawaiwaqt, a leading Urdu newspaper in Pakistan.
Mandana Seyfeddinipur – Director of the Endangered Languages Documentation Programme at the School of Oriental and African Studies, University of London.
Olga Fischer – Professor of English Linguistics at the University of Amsterdam.