Institutions for the Promotion of the Persian Language in Rawalpindi/Islamabad and Their Services

راولپنڈی /اسلام آباد میں فارسی زبان کی ترویج کے ادارے اور ان کی خدمات

Abstract

The rise and fall of languages are linked to the rise and fall of the nations that speak them. A nation that enters a region as a conqueror also establishes its language as a conqueror. The Persian language similarly narrates a story of rise and decline. Even before Maḥmūd Ghaznavī's arrival in the subcontinent, various historical evidences indicate that Persian had already reached certain parts of India. However, when this language set foot in Sindh and Baluchistan with Maḥmūd Ghaznavī, these victorious strides, woven with tales of changing regimes, triumphs, and defeats, ultimately brought it to the status of India's official language. Yet, afterward, the British also entered this subcontinent, took control, and the new language of conquest, English replaced Persian, which had ruled for centuries. During this period, Persian not only influenced the local languages but also contributed to the foundation of a new language. Nevertheless, the number of those speaking and understanding it gradually declined across the Indian landscape. One reason for this was the dominance of English, and another was scientific advancement, which led to the decline of various languages. People turned towards scientific education, and as with many other languages, Persian's learners decreased. After the establishment of Pakistan, Persian remained in the curriculum both as a compulsory and optional subject in Pakistani regions, and in the form of Darī in Baluchistan, it continued as the mother tongue for a few tribes. However, as it lagged in modern advancements, this language was left behind while intellectual pursuits shifted to science and technology. Alongside Rāwalpindī / Islāmābād many large cities and smaller towns in Pakistan still host institutions for promoting Persian which continue efforts to develop the language even today.