Let’s speak Urdu

Sir: This is with reference to Khalid Hasan’s Postcard USA (Daily Times, November 30). I understand his agony over the inability of our “inactive” chief justice and our so-called chief executive to address an American gathering in correct English. They are brave people but when they open their mouth in public they bring enormous embarrassment to their well-wishers. That reminds me of the Farsi adage: Ta mard sakhun nah gufta bashid, aib-o-hunrash nahufta bashid (As long as a man does not speak, his drawbacks and skills remain hidden).

Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gilani embarrassed us when he was here while speaking to an American foreign affairs expert. Now we learn of how poorly Justice Chaudhry, who is the successor to such Pakistani law luminaries as Sir Abdur Rashid and AR Cornelius, performed at a meeting at Georgetown University.
But I do not particularly underestimate the capabilities of the two men from Pakistan. Proficiency in the English language has generally been on the decline since the British left. The sad state of the English language, and even that of Urdu, reflects itself in the Urdu telecasts we receive here in the US. The talk-show hosts, their guests, including federal and provincial ministers, experts and other commentators, mix the two languages at their convenience to express their views.
I believe that our leaders of public opinion should start insisting on speaking Urdu or reading out prepared Urdu remarks when addressing a foreign audience. Translators and interpreters can easily be arranged everywhere. Chinese, Russian, Arab, Iranian and other leaders of non-English speaking countries use their national languages when they speak at an international gathering. They are not ashamed of not speaking English. Why should we?
AKMAL ALEEMI
United States