EDITORIAL
Article 251 of the Constitution
(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.
(2) Subject to clause (1), the English language may be used for official purposes until arrangements are made for its replacement by Urdu.
(3) Without prejudice to the status of the national language, a provincial assembly may by law prescribe measures for the teaching, promotion and use of a provincial language in addition to the national language.
The constitution is the supreme law of the land. It not only regulates a state’s political-administrative organizations but also ensures cultural protection and growth. Nationalism remains the essence of a political constitution. Then, in the federation, the significance of a constitution is far more critical. It depicts the cultural, political, economic and administrative organizations of a state. Pakistan’s constitution reflects all nationalistic ideals. The significance of the national language, along with local languages, is protected in article 251 of the constitution. Urdu is the official national language, and it shall replace all other languages in the official domains, including English. Then, the state shall make sure that Urdu replaces all languages, including English, in the official businesses after a lapse of fifteen years.
Article 251 (1) and (2) categorically declare that Urdu shall remain the National language and be incorporated in all official business of federal and provincial governments. Likewise, Article 251(3) of the constitution of Pakistan declares that provincial, regional and local languages shall be promoted through the syllabus, teaching and other forms of essential dissemination. Hence, the constitution is categorically clear that national and regional languages shall have legislative, administrative and cultural support for their promotion, growth and development. Furthermore, Article 28 of the constitution, as a fundamental right, allows the promotion, preservation and growth of languages. In addition to constitutional and legislative support, the Supreme Court of Pakistan has declared through the judgement by Justice Jawwad S Khawaja that Urdu should replace all other languages, including English, as an official language. Then, the regional languages are also protected in the constitution, and alongside Urdu, the regional languages should be promoted, preserved and made part of the syllabus or curriculum.
Language is a door to culture and civilization. Language is the most sacred trust of a nation. Then, in a federation, all languages are of the same importance, and their preservation and promotion are an obligation of the state and society. Pakistan must promote the national language alongside all regional languages as a principle of federalism.https://republicpolicy.com/the-executive-denial-of-constitutional-fiscal-federalism-in-pakistan/
