Abstract

Languages are associated with human identity. Pakistan enjoys great geo-political significance in this region of warm waters. Pakistan is a multilingual country. The linguistic and cultural fabric of Pakistan is composed of multilingual and multiethnic identities and ‘as many as 80 languages’. Urdu is the national language of Pakistan. English has the status of foreign-cum second language in Pakistan. Superiority attached with certain languages raises questions of the inferiority of other languages. This is why the country has been suffering from linguistic contestations since 1947. There is a need to eliminate these profound linguistic splits and chauvinistic conflicts among our people. The current study highlights how insights and examples from the time-honored Riasat-e-Madīna can neutralize these ethno-linguistic conflicts in Pakistan.

Keywords: Islam, linguistic discrimination, linguicism, linguistic variations, Riasat-e-Madīna.