Is English on the decrease in Pakistan?

·         The status of English in Pakistan has been a subject of heated controversy ever since independence.

·         When Pakistan attained independence on August 14, 1947, there was a natural reaction against the study of English

·         English is a global language that a unique status all over the world. It is the language of millions of people around the world.

·         On one hand, there are people who plead for the retention of English on plausible grounds; on the other, there are persons who want to banish English from the country lock, stock and barrel, this linguistic confusion is subverting our national educational scene.

·         The status of Urdu as a national language can’t be called in question. But, instead of being misled by catchy words and high-flown slogans, we must adopt a pragmatic approach in the pure light of reason. As a developing country we should not fall into glorified visions of being self –sufficient in all respects.

·         It is natural phenomenon that when English language gets in touch with Urdu it borrows a lot of words from Urdu and other local languages. A huge amount of Urdu and other lend words have been entered in Pakistani English.

·         Most of the people start their day by reading the newspaper. English newspaper is a main cradle of language learning for English language learners.

·         It may appear to be news to some readers but the fact is that 70 percent of all technical and professional publications are initially published in English and are later on translated into other languages.

·         With the rapid pace at which knowledge is increasing in all fields, it is unwise to loss the source and to wait and depend on second hand translated (often poorly) versions of information.

·         We are actually fortunate to have had a close historical association with English and continue to be exposed to it to a reasonable extent.

·         This bond gives us an edge over many other developing countries.

·         Those of us who are privileged to go abroad for travel, training or higher education find their knowledge of English an asset and generally do better as compared to their counterparts from other countries.

·         It would not be a prudent act to let go of this advantage especially when other including the Chines, the Japanese, many Middle East and African states are trying to enhance their proficiency in English.

·         Fresh information is indispensable for not only the professional and scholars but also for the intelligentsia at large.

·         It is here that knowledge of English is invaluable for us.