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Is Urdu the official language of Pakistan?
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Urdu is the national language and the lingua franca of Pakistan, and while sharing official status with English, it is the preferred and dominant language used for inter-communication between different ethnic groups.
Urdu is the sole national, and one of the two official languages of Pakistan (along with English). [99] It is spoken and understood throughout the country, whereas the state-by-state languages (languages spoken throughout various regions) are the provincial languages, although only 7.57% of Pakistanis speak Urdu as their first language. [155]
- The National Language of Pakistan
- Provincial Languages of Pakistan
- Minority Languages of Pakistan
- Foreign Languages That Have A Significant Impact in Pakistan
Urdu is not only the official language of Pakistan but also the national language of the country. However, only about 8% of Pakistanis speak Urdu as their first language. However, a vast section of the population speaks it as their second language. The origin of Urdu goes back several centuries, and according to some historians, Urdu has evolved fr...
Punjabi
Punjabi is the most popular of the regional languages of Pakistan. Over 44% of Pakistani Punjabis speak Punjabi as a first language which is written using the Shahmukhi script which uses the Urdu alphabet.
Pashto
Pashto, the official language of neighboring Afghanistan, also has a significant number of speakers in Pakistan. This language of Pakistan is spoken by over 15.42% of the entire population of the country. The Pashto speakers are concentrated in northern Balochistan, Federally Administered Tribal Areas, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa regions of Pakistan. Pashtun communities in the cities of the country also speak this language. Pashto has a rich literary tradition, and some famous poets who used the P...
Sindhi
Sindhi is spoken as a first language primarily by Pakistanis residing in the Sindh province of the country. Nearly 14.5% of Pakistanis speak this language of Pakistan. Some scholars claim that Sindhi is derived from Sanskrit with Arabic influences and others believe it has its origins in the Sami languages. Sindhi is also spoken by a significant section of the Indian population.
A large number of languages can be included in the category of minority languages of Pakistan and are spoken by minority communities residing in the country. Speakers of these languages number from a few hundreds to a few thousand. Some of these languages are also endangered and might disappear altogether quite soon.
English
As mentioned above, English, the official language of the colonial British Empire, continue to play a major role in Pakistan as one of the official languages of the country. Besides, English, the other important foreign languages of Pakistan are:
Arabic
Since Pakistan is a Muslim major country, Arabic, the religious language of Muslims play a major role in the religious education of the Muslims. The Quran, Hadith, Sunnah and other Islamic religious texts are taught in Arabic and translated in Urdu. A major section of the Muslim population of Pakistan is given some form of informal or formal religious education in the Arabic language.
Persian
Persian was the language spoken by the Royals of the Mughal Empire and served as the cultural and official language of this Empire. As such, it had a high status in the Muslim society in the past. However, the British abolished the official status of Persian during their colonial rule over the Indian sub-continent. Today, only a small section of the Pakistani population speak this language.
- Oishimaya Sen Nag
Aug 23, 2024 · The Urdu language is spoken predominantly in Pakistan and India. It is the official state language of Pakistan and is also officially recognized in the constitution of India. Significant Urdu communities exist in the United Arab Emirates, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
- The Urdu language is a member of the Indo-Aryan group within the Indo-European family of languages.
- The Urdu language is closely related to Hindi. They share the same Indo-Aryan base, are similar in phonology and grammar, and are mutually intellig...
- The Urdu language uses a modified form of Perso-Arabic script known as Nastaliq (nastaʿlīq).
Jul 8, 2024 · In Pakistan, Urdu was elevated to the national language, symbolizing national unity and cultural identity. However, in post-partition India, Urdu experienced a decline as it was overshadowed by Hindi in official and cultural domains.
The Constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973, says: (1) The National language of Pakistan is Urdu, and arrangements shall be made for its being used for official and other purposes within fifteen years from the commencing day.
Aug 8, 2023 · Urdu, as the national language of Pakistan, stands as a testament to the nation’s cultural diversity and unity. This linguistic marvel transcends geographical boundaries, connecting people across various regions and ethnic backgrounds.
