Islamabad - Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has constituted a seven-member committee to ensure implementation of Urdu as official language in all government institutions, The Nation has learnt.

Federal Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid will head the committee that also includes cabinet members Irfan Saddiqui, Akram Durrani, Rana Tanvir Hussain, Sardar Yousuf and Secretary Information Syed Imran Gardezi.

The PM tasked the committee to introduce vibrant mechanism under the light of Supreme Court directives for the implementation of Urdu language in government offices for official correspondence. He has also asked the committee to complete the assignment as soon as possible. Earlier, the apex court had asked the federal government to make sure the official correspondence is done in the national language and sought a compliance report from the government in this regard. The federal government had submitted a report to the court in this regard after three months of court orders and informed it that the federal government asked all departments to adopt the Urdu language as the official working. The government ensured the court that it would be successful to fulfil this task soon.

Following the PM orders, the committee has started work on an effective policy making on the subject.

On the other side, several Divisions have introduced their websites in Urdu and asked their administrations to start using the national language for correspondence. The name plates of government officers have been replaced in Urdu in almost all federal government offices. Interestingly, some key ministries are still ignoring the government instructions and using the English language for official correspondence.

The government has also ordered the departments to spread the public message through promotional billboards, sign boards at roads, parks and all public places through Urdu language.

The Senate and National Assembly standing committees on Information, Broadcasting and National Heritage had also ordered the government to complete its work regarding implementation of Urdu language at national level instead of English language.

Talking to The Nation, a senior official of Establishment Division said that during the last two years his Division had received several letters from the Cabinet Division to start correspondence in Urdu language but the Division did not take it seriously. He said that all Divisions no doubt have changed the language of official name plates, however, the Urdu language could not be used as official language. He said that all officers were comfortable with the usage of English language in offices, he said.