THE FUTURE OF ENGLISH LANGUAGE IN PAKISTAN

With the exit of the Britishers from our country, it was summed in some extremist
quarters that English language will also go to its native very soon. But the deep roots
which this language had struck into our soil from the beginning of the present century,
were hard to be shaken and the course which the later events took belied the expectations
of the narrow-minded rationalists who wanted an immediate replacement of this language
by some Pakistani language.

The way in which Macaulay introduced English language in our country was a disgrace
for us and dealt a severe blow to our nationalism. Our languages received a great setback
and their progress was greatly retarded when English language was granted protection by
the government.

In a very haphazard way the Britishers devised the present system of education to
produce cheap clerks to run their bureaucracy. English became a costly luxury with the
result that knowledge of English meant a high market value and prestige. The inroad of
alien culture and civilization had a bad denationalising influence. The intelligentsia was
attracted towards the Western universities. A false dignity had come to be attached to the
study of English language and the advocates and supporters of Indian languages and the
Eastern culture and civilization were, condemned as 'backward' and 'orthodox' people
even by their own countrymen for whose good they were working. This meant a virtual
dethronement of Indian culture and civilization from the place of pride it occupied in the
ancient India.

The most important unifying factors, in the national solidarity, i.e. language and
literature, were relegated into the background. The privileged class, who received the
education in English, became completely westernized and arrogant. None devoted time
and none utilized his creative faculties for building up the national language. It was,'
therefore, no wonder, that the deliverance of the Pakistanis from the political subjugation
of the English was also hailed as an occasion to rid themselves of the tyranny of the
foreign language and literature, for without it, freedom would lose much of its
significance.

First, thing which the Government of our free country did was to declare unequivocally
that English412 for Prospective Headmasters

cannot remain for long the official language of the country and that Urdu will take up the
place of pride since occupied by English. This was hailed as a move both bold and in the
right direction. But the time limit kept as a transition period aroused mixed election. The
reaction was both natural and justified. The government and the people both shared the
news that English must cease dominating the Pakistani educational system, culture and
civilization, but there was a sharp difference of opinion as regards, the details, methods
and speeds with which this goal had to be achieved.
The language, however, brought in its worth the seeds of its own destruction. Pakistani
leaders educated in foreign universities learnt about

(i) National awakening,

(ii) Democracy, and

(in) Revolution.

The weapons brought from the armoury of the English were successfully employed
against them.. Our mental horizon was broadened and we cultivated an international
outlook. This was probably the greatest benefit we could derive from the study of English
language.

Some extremists who seemed to be in loVe with English language and whose mother
tongues were fairly developed came forth with bitter attack on the move and wanted that
English should be retained permanently in all spheres of life. Pitted against these
supporters of English were fanatic lovers of Urdu who wanted an immediate replacement
of English by Urdu. Had they some magic wand they would have done it almost
overnight.

But nothing came out of this unbridled criticism and counter criticism and the decision of
the government stood. That Urdu should be introduced gradually, was the only desirable
course to be adopted without hampering the national progress.

413

The Study of Education

The diversity of languages and dialects is so great in our country that it was very difficult
to choose a common language which could be granted the status of national language.
After great deliberations Urdu was chosen as the "Language Franca " of Pakistan but not
without much of conflict of opinion. Nobody can deny the fact that it is against the
national pride of our country to retain this foreign language as the lingua franca even
after the exit of British masters. Nobody would suggest that English should continue to
dominate:

(i) our educational system,

(ii) our culture and civilization, and

(Hi) our administrative set-up.

Now dictionaries are being compiled, new words are being coined and translations of
technical books ate coming in the market. The present vocabulary of Urdu is enough to
cope with the need of the country.
Owing to the changed circumstances the significance of English language has declined
greatly and it is being relegated into the background just as other Indian languages were
done at the time of the introduction of English. Almost all the universities have made the
study of Urdu compulsory at primary, secondary and higher secondary levels. Apparently
if the present pace of popularity of this language continues, it will completely replace
English in the near future.