Pakistan is a multilingual nation, home to over 70 languages including Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Saraiki, and Urdu, as well as numerous minority languages. English plays a significant role in Pakistan as the medium of higher education, administration, and international communication. Proficiency in English is often linked to better employment opportunities and socio-economic mobility. However, the dominance of English and Urdu has marginalized regional languages, resulting in educational and economic disparities.
Effective language planning policies are essential to promote inclusivity and equity in Pakistan. These policies ensure that education is accessible in mother tongues, thereby enhancing comprehension and academic performance. Research indicates that children who receive early education in their native language are more likely to excel academically.
Additionally, language planning helps preserve endangered languages and maintain the country’s cultural richness. This includes establishing digital archives for endangered languages and promoting regional literature, poetry, and folklore through various media and cultural festivals. Language planning also facilitates economic empowerment by providing vocational training in regional languages, thereby increasing employability. Furthermore, encouraging English proficiency programmes helps bridge gaps in global competitiveness, ensuring individuals can access better job opportunities and contribute more effectively to the economy.
The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) emphasize inclusivity and equity, aligning with the principles of linguistic justice. Languages are key to achieving several SDGs, particularly in education (SDG 4), economic growth (SDG 8), reducing inequalities (SDG 10), and preserving cultural heritage (SDG 11). Research shows that children taught in their mother tongue during early education are more likely to excel academically. However, Pakistan’s current policies, which prioritize English for socio-economic mobility and Urdu for national unity, often exclude speakers of regional languages, exacerbating inequities.
Pakistan’s linguistic landscape includes six major languages— Punjabi, Sindhi, Pashto, Balochi, Saraiki, and Urdu— and numerous minority languages. However, Urdu, spoken by only seven percent of the population, is the national language, while English dominates as the medium of higher education and administration.
Pakistan can create a more equitable society, promote economic growth, reduce inequalities, and preserve its rich cultural heritage. This comprehensive approach to language policy and planning is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring that no community is left behind.
According to UNESCO, 40 percent of children worldwide do not have access to education in their mother tongue. In Pakistan, this reflects a significant challenge, as regional languages are seldom used in schools, especially in rural areas. Educationally, the exclusion of mother tongues creates barriers. Studies indicate that children learning in their native language are 30 percent more likely to achieve basic literacy and numeracy skills. Pakistan’s literacy rate, at 58 percent, lags behind regional peers, partly due to language policies that alienate non-Urdu and non-English speakers. Economically, language barriers hinder access to opportunities. English proficiency is often a prerequisite for lucrative jobs, marginalizing those fluent only in regional languages. This creates a socio-economic divide, where rural populations and lower-income groups are disproportionately disadvantaged.
Culturally, the lack of institutional support for regional languages threatens their survival. Reports suggest that nearly 27 languages in Pakistan are at risk of extinction. The dominance of Urdu and English in media, education, and governance erodes the identity and cultural richness associated with indigenous languages. Language policies must also address hegemony and linguistic inequity. The concept of linguistic imperialism, where one language dominates at the expense of others, is evident in Pakistan’s approach. While English is viewed as a symbol of progress, its unchecked dominance perpetuates inequalities and disempowers regional language speakers.
To effectively align Language Policy and Planning (LPP) with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Pakistan must adopt inclusive, multilingual strategies. This includes promoting mother-tongue education (SDG 4) by introducing regional languages as the medium of instruction in early education and transitioning to bilingual models that incorporate both Urdu and English in later stages. Teachers should be trained in multilingual pedagogy to ensure successful implementation.
Economic empowerment (SDG 8) can be achieved by providing vocational training in regional languages to enhance employability and encouraging English proficiency programmes to bridge gaps in global competitiveness. For cultural preservation (SDG 11), it is essential to establish digital archives for endangered languages and promote regional literature, poetry, and folklore through various media and cultural festivals. Linguistic equity in governance (SDG 10) should be addressed by making government services and legal proceedings accessible in multiple languages and recognizing regional languages as official languages alongside Urdu and English.
Public awareness campaigns should be launched to highlight the value of linguistic diversity and celebrate International Mother Language Day to advocate for linguistic inclusion. By reforming language policies to reflect Pakistan’s linguistic diversity, the nation can foster an equitable society where all languages are valued. This approach will not only advance sustainable development but also preserve the cultural heritage that defines Pakistan’s identity. By adopting inclusive, multilingual strategies,
Pakistan can create a more equitable society, promote economic growth, reduce inequalities, and preserve its rich cultural heritage. This comprehensive approach to language policy and planning is essential for achieving the Sustainable Development Goals and ensuring that no community is left behind.
