“Are you from Urdu Medium or English Medium?”
This was the third question followed by the interviewer after asking my name and education. I starred him up for a while and then answered, “English Medium.”
The interview continued and all what I was thinking about during the whole time sitting on the chair that, “Was that question suppose to be a part of the interview.”
“Why have we put English Language before our Urdu Language?”
“Why is it important to have grip on a foreign language (English) rather than on our national language (Urdu)?”
“Are we still under pressure of the English people?”
Urdu is a really beautiful language. It’s a mixture of different other languages. Other names used for Urdu are Rekhta, Hindavi, Urdu-e-Muallah, Lahori and Dehlavi. Rekhta is a Persian word that means ‘to create a mixture.’
Urdu is the mother language of Pakistan after independence in 1947. It is broadly spoken and understood in Pakistan. Urdu is taught as a compulsory subject in both Urdu and English medium school systems. But now Urdu has become the second language of Pakistan and English as the main language.
Urdu is used in education, literature and offices but English is always prioritized. This is the reason due to which our coming generation wants to talk in English and walk in English , which means that they are not only adopting their language but along with that they want to adopt their culture as well.
During the last few years, our elder generation has observed this change around them. Doesn’t it leave you thinking, “From where did this all actually started?”
You people probably would have heard that “A person starts becoming what he speaks.” This is the result of speaking their language that now when we see our youth speaking what the English people speak eventually wearing what the English people wear hence embedding their culture in ours disturbing even our family systems.
So, respecting our National Language, Urdu we should step back to our national dress and culture. We are the ones who are responsible for this and we are the ones who can change this. Obviously not all at once but with baby steps, which I think would be adopting our language first and the other steps would be followed along with it.
It’s high time to replace ‘The Angraiz Culture’ with ‘The Desi Culture’ , before its too late.
I honestly, respect my prime minister, Imran Khan for his efforts and the steps he has initiated towards this.