Pakistan has been buzzing with rumours around the 27th Amendment for months, but the cat came out of the bag this week when President Asif Ali Zardari...
In 2024-25, India exported $387.54 bn worth of services, against imports of $198.14 bn, earning all-time high surplus of $189.40 bn. This offset 2/3rd of goods trade deficit.
This world is being restructured and redrawn by one man, and what’s his power? It’s not his formidable military. It’s trade. With China, it turned on him.
During informal conversations, most people from Norther India and Pakistan actually speak Hindustani and not Hindi or Urdu respectively. Indeed, for a majority of Indians, North Indians included, the chaste, Sanskritised Hindi used in broadcasting, newspapers, railway station announcements, in aircrafts etc. is hard to follow. Ditto for Pakistanis who hear Arabicised Hindu spoken in TV.
This obsession with Hindi and Urdu in both these countries completely misses the fact that as communication tools, they confer little practical benefits and generate more political headaches. Indeed, in the case of Pakistan, Jinnah’s decision to impose Urdu over both wings of Pakistan was one of the factors that lead to the break up of that country. Similar resentments against the imposition and promotion of Hindi, often at the expense of other languages has been a detriment to creating cohesion in the country.
Correction: Sentence in second paragraph should read:
“Ditto for Pakistanis who hear Arabicised Urdu spoken on TV”
Apologies for the typo.
The author has deeply analyzed the linguistic situation of Abu Dhabi that shows his excellent command on sociolinguists.
In addition to Nepalese, Sri Lankans and Bangladeshis, Hindi is widely used as a means of communication by Pakistanis as well.
I would call it Hindustani not Hindi.
That is an important distinction that you make.
During informal conversations, most people from Norther India and Pakistan actually speak Hindustani and not Hindi or Urdu respectively. Indeed, for a majority of Indians, North Indians included, the chaste, Sanskritised Hindi used in broadcasting, newspapers, railway station announcements, in aircrafts etc. is hard to follow. Ditto for Pakistanis who hear Arabicised Hindu spoken in TV.
This obsession with Hindi and Urdu in both these countries completely misses the fact that as communication tools, they confer little practical benefits and generate more political headaches. Indeed, in the case of Pakistan, Jinnah’s decision to impose Urdu over both wings of Pakistan was one of the factors that lead to the break up of that country. Similar resentments against the imposition and promotion of Hindi, often at the expense of other languages has been a detriment to creating cohesion in the country.
Correction: Sentence in second paragraph should read:
“Ditto for Pakistanis who hear Arabicised Urdu spoken on TV”
Apologies for the typo.
The author has deeply analyzed the linguistic situation of Abu Dhabi that shows his excellent command on sociolinguists.