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Sindhi be made national language of Pakistan besides Punjabi, Siraiki, Pushto and Balochi.

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Implementing Language Laws in Sindh, Pakistan

[The resolution below was passed unanimously at 23rd Annual SANA convention]

Where as, the Sindhi language is one of the oldest languages of Indo-Pak subcontinent and was the only native language that was taught officially by British in schools of Sindh.


Where as, arrival of several millions of immigrants from India who mainly speak Urdu, and other parts of Pakistan after Pakistan was created, the teaching and promotion of Sindhi has taken a back seat due to ethnic politics.
Where as, Sindhi has been the medium of instruction in educational institutions for a long time and it has been the main language for lower level administrative functions, judiciary, and journalism since the Sindhi script was formed more than 150 years ago.
Where as, today in Sindh, students attending the Sindhi-medium schools are compulsorily taught Urdu from class 4 to 12, the same requirement by law to teach Sindhi, is not implemented in many areas of Karachi and Hyderabad cities of Sindh. This not only imposes an unfair burden on Sindhi students but also is used as a tool of discrimination in the jobs that are created in those areas. A number of schools that existed 1950s have been forced closed.
Where as, the “Teaching, Promotion and Use of Sindhi Language” bill was passed in the Sindh Provincial Assembly on 7 July 1972. The clause 6 of the Bill requires that Sindhi could be used in offices, courts, legislature, etc. The law also provides for teaching of both Sindhi and Urdu as compulsory subjects from class 4 to 12.Where as following the language riots in later months of summer 1972, a compromise solution was issued by then the Governor of Sindh that provided a 12-year reprieve for those who did not know Sindhi from the requirement of laws.
Where as, later this week (July 7, 2007), it will be 35 years since the passage of the language law and 23 years since the effective date of the language law, the governments of Sindh and Pakistan have failed to ensure adherence to this law,
We, the attendees of SANA 2007 annual Convention, therefore resolve and demand that the provisions of the “Language Law” duly passed by the Sindh Provincial Assembly be made effective and teaching of Sindhi in all schools of Karachi, Hyderabad and other parts of the province be made mandatory. We also call for the allocation of immediate funding for the teaching of Sindhi in schools and promoting its use in judiciary and administrative matters.
We also demand that Sindhi be made national language of Pakistan besides Punjabi, Siraiki, Pushto and Balochi.

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