KARACHI: City Administrator Barrister Murtaza Wahab, who is also Sindh government’s spokesman and CM’s adviser on law, has said that Urdu is the only language that unites people living in all provinces of Pakistan.
“The services of Baba-i-Urdu Moulvi Abdul Haq for the development and promotion of Urdu cannot be forgotten,” he said while addressing a function held here on Monday to mark the 60th birth anniversary of Moulvi Abdul Haq. The event was organised by citizens of Karachi at his mausoleum.
Senior director of culture, sports and recreation Saif Abbas, senior director of media management Ali Hassan Sajid, Anjuman-i-Asateza Abdul Haq Campus general secretary Roshan Ali and Federal Urdu University’s faculty members including Muhammad Siddique and Dr Kamal Haider were also present.
Barrister Wahab said that Moulvi Abdul Haq had dedicated his entire life to the promotion of Urdu and remained committed to getting the language its rightful status. “Moulvi Abdul Haq is one of the pioneers [of a movement for] making Urdu the country’s national language. He can undoubtedly be called the pioneer of Urdu caravan,” he added.
The administrator said that Anjuman Taraqqi-i-Urdu and Federal Urdu University were established due to efforts of Baba-i-Urdu.
“This university is the place where Moulvi Abdul Haq not only spent his last days in the service of Urdu but also had a comfortable life here.”
He said Moulvi Abdul Haq had declared Urdu “a symbol of our nationality, a monument to our forefathers and a trustee of our traditions”.
Moulvi Haq’s greatest achievement was shifting of the Anjuman to Pakistan, whose library contains rare manuscripts of science and art. The language is not only a means of expression but also a cultural identity of a nation. Urdu is not only a historical asset but also a modern developed language; it has the full potential of modern sciences and arts.
The administrator said that the life of Moulvi Abdul Haq was the best example of his constant struggle with sincerity to achieve his goal. He said that Moulvi Abdul Haq did not compromise on principles and always stood by his position. “We need the same kind of spirit and determination today,” he added.
Published in Dawn, August 17th, 2021