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‘Niagara De Des Wich’ an attempt to preserve Punjabi language

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Islamabad
MAHTAB BASHIR


At a time when the world has evolved into a global village and usage of English language in
Pakistan is putting the non-English speaking inhabitants under a tremendous complexion,
Muhammad Saleem Pasha feels utmost pride at a launching of his travelogue titled ‘Niagara
De Des Wich’ – a travelogue of journey to Canada, written in Punjabi language.

The travelogue, comprising 135 pages with the friendly price tag of Rs 200 and published by
‘Lehran Adbi Board’ Lahore, was launched on Wednesday at South Asia Free Media Association (SAFMA) in association
with Islamabad Cultural Forum (ICF) and Panchayat.

A galaxy of Punjabi writers and intellectuals including Prof Ashfaq Saleem Mirza, Jaleel Aali,
Ali Mohammad Farshi, Hameed Shahid, Dr Azhar Mahmood Chaudhry, Waseem Gardezi and
others, addressed on the occasion congratulating the author on preferring Punjabi as a
medium of expression over other languages like Urdu or English.

Talking to this scribe, the writer said, “It is an age of ‘English’ and our next generation is not
familiar with its mother language (Punjabi); consequently, the Punjabi language is on the
verge of decline because of rapid influence of Urdu in the country and English as a medium
of education that is also borrowed from the West.”

“We feel complex if we are not familiar with English. However, If we do not speak or write
Punjabi, and unable to keep this asset alive, we will soon be deprived of from our mother
language – that is one of the wide-spoken languages in the world,” Pasha said in his typical
Punjabi accent.

Hailing from Gujrat (to which he pronounced Gujrat Shareef), and living and working in the
federal capital for the last 2 decades, Saleem Pasha warned if younger generation did not
show their interests in promotion of Punjabi language, they would be rotten soon.

Talking about the ‘Niagara De Des Wich’, Pasha said as he was a Punjabi writer and a poet,
he preferred to express his experience while staying in Canada for over 20 days on a trip
he was invited to attend for ‘World Punjabi Conference’ in August 2011.

Dedicating the travelogue to his spouse, Samina Akhtar, Pasha said Ibn-e-Insha and
Mustansar Hussain Tarar were the leading names in writing travelogue and he was sure that
he did not have the calibre to match their in expression.

“But this is, nevertheless, a serious effort in promotion of Punjabi language here in Pakistan
as well as aboard. Canada is one of the beautiful places in the world, where everyone is
treated equally. Peace and justice is the core issues that differentiate the social atmosphere
of both the country. We have no peace and justice here but it is available for each individual
in Canada. This is actually the crux of my travelogue – based upon my candid personal
experiences in shape of this book,” Pasha explained. Pasha says he is basically a painter and
his exhibitions have been put on display countrywide.

“Currently, I am working as a publication in-charge in the Ministry of Commerce. My first
publication in form of poetry book titled ‘Wakh Hon To Pehlan’ has been acknowledged
widely in 2005. I have attended a number of conferences abroad including India in promo-
tion of Punjabi literature,” he maintained.

Addressing on the occasion, Prof. Ashfaq Saleem Mirza, Jaleel Aali, Ali Mohammad Farshi,
Hameed Shahid, Dr Azhar Mahmood Chaudhry, and Waseem Gardezi said people often
considered Punjabi language as a ‘satirical language’ but as Pasha mentioned in his trave-

logue it was the fifth widely spoken language in a developed country of Canada.

“Literacy organisations and Punjabi writers in Pakistan have done extensively for the
promotion of Punjabi over the years, but due to lack of access of Punjabi language to
international sphere, Punjabi is dwindling. However, Pasha has been doing it since decades
to push this language on a larger spectrum writing this travelogue,” speakers said.

Source:Pakistan Today: JANUARY 12, 2012


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