February was a month of literature buzz in Pakistan. Karachi and Lahore literature festivals were organised with usual fervour. These two events have gained wider popularity in the literary landscape of the country. Amidst these high profile events, a remarkable debut was made by the Pakistani Mother Languages Literature Festival. First of its kind, the festival was attended by a humongous crowd of people from every corner of the country representing linguistic mosaic and cultural tapestry of the country in its federal capital.

The mother languages festival was attended by writers, poets, singers and audience from a wider spectrum of languages of the country. More than 150 writers spoke in two dozen literary sessions mainstreaming the commendable literary work of more than a dozen languages of Pakistan. A multilingual poetry recitation and multilingual musical performance were the magnetic attractions of the colorful event.

A fledgling organization, Indus Cultural Forum, organised this event with the support of Pakistan Reading Project, Lok Virsa and Strengthening Participatory Organisation. The Lok Virsa hosted a rainbow of cultures in its salubrious premises to celebrate and promote cultural diversity of Pakistan.

The literary sessions and performances were not confined only to the major languages of the provinces but also had representation of Seraiki, Pahari, Chitrali, Burushaski, Shina, Kashmiri, Wakhi, Torwali, Balti, Gojri, Darri, Hazargi, Brahvi, Hindko and Pothohari. This rare cultural convergence gave a political message demanding the due share and respect for the long-ignored (if not ostracized) native cultures and languages of the country.

The event also coincided with United Nation’s International Mother Languages Day. Often demeaned as "regional languages", these mother tongues of millions of Pakistanis possess a treasure trove of knowledge, wisdom and creativity of an unparalleled stature.

After nearly seven decades of its existence, the country has yet to recognise them as its national languages since a self-proclaimed patriotic brigade construes such a move as inimical to their conjured up illusive nationalism. Some of them -- having mastered the art of knitting conspiracy theories -- staunchly believe that more than one national language will unravel national unity. This jealously-guarded fiction has hoodwinked millions of people.

Developed world proffers ample evidences that recognising, respecting and promoting cultural heterogeneity has a cementing effect on divergent groups of people in a society. On the contrary, imposing cultural monopoly retards the process of social harmony.

In a federation created by various nations, unity cannot be created by forcibly riveting them with one language and culture. The experiment of fabricating an artificial nation yielded devastating repercussions in 1971. It is believed that the seeds of separation of the then East Pakistan were sown in 1948 when Bengali was denied the right to become one of the national languages in the young country.

Some politically myopic elements believed that since the two-nation theory laid the foundation of Pakistan, a monolithic nation can be forged through official orders. Nationhood was pegged to faith that was supposed to be a personal matter far away from the remits of state affairs. It was believed that nations, with their identity and heritage nurtured over millennia, would cease to exist and would be subsumed in a newly-manufactured identity overnight. Any non-compliance or dissent was equated to treachery and non-patriotism. All this frivolity was not just outrageously unfair but unrealistic too and therefore was bound to meet its destiny of debacle one day.

The tragic culmination of this hysteria left everyone flabbergasted in 1971. Denial being our national sport, always deprives us of our share of learning from history and thus condemns us to repeat past blunders. A critical introspection is much desired and has been delayed for too long.

The pathway of our journey was set in the wrong direction since its inception. Islam and Urdu were construed as gluing factors to cobble together culturally diverse and politically discrete entities. Intensions and reasons apart, the approach was too bitter to ingest particularly for Sindh and Bengal where native languages were highly developed and remained in vogue as a medium of communication, schooling, court, revenue and other official business for decades.

Language movements in Bengal and Sindh subsequently resulted in parturition of nationalist movements in both provinces. The inapt ruling elite symbolised Urdu as a touchstone of Pakistani nationalism and thus pitched it against other native languages of people in the country.

Although Urdu had its own merits to become a lingua franca to bridge communication among various nations and linguistic entities, it emerged as a centre of controversy and a symbol of cultural hegemony imposed over a vast majority of the population in Pakistan. As the power centres resorted to the state arm to thump Urdu, it stoked an unnecessary anti-Urdu sentiment in the whole country and a reactive nationalism found language to be a rallying point to reclaim their share in the state.

There are several countries where more than one language has been accorded the status of the national and official language and their national integrity has not been jeopardised. Few such examples are cited here. Arabic and Berber are national languages in Algeria. Finland has two national languages; Finnish and the Swedish. Neighbouring India has 23 languages. Nigeria recognises three ‘majority’ or national languages; Hausa, Igbo, and Yoruba. Singapore has four official languages -- English, Chinese, Malay and Tamil. South Africa has 11 official languages. Switzerland has four national languages including German, French, Italian and Romansh. In Hong Kong, English and Chinese are official languages. In Sri Lanka, Sinhala and Tamil are official languages. None of these countries endured any political fragility due to multiple national languages. Some of them are far more stable and better integrated than us.

After nearly seven decades down the road, obstinacy with one language still persists and continues to erode even the residual unity. Two years ago, the National Assembly’s Standing Committee on Law and Justice repudiated a bill seeking status of national language for major Pakistani languages. The bill was tabled by PML-N legislator Marvi Memon.

Only few months before that, the Standing Committee of National Assembly on information, broadcasting and national heritage adopted a resolution to declare 13 languages of Pakistan as national languages. Some of the participants of these meetings showered their customary cynicism by terming it an attempt to disintegrate Pakistani nation, a figment of their imagination.

The country has been facing a menacing political polarisation and a formidable challenge of extremism. Plurality of languages and cultures can be turned into an opportunity for convergence and consensus. Recognition of historic identities of people can foster better bonds and create sustainable bridges among people and also between the state and citizens.

A multi-cultural and multilingual society needs a culturally sensitive policy ambience. Nation building is an organic process that cannot be expedited through official notifications and a patronisation of one culture and language at the expense of the rest.

A flawed prescription of nation-building through one religion and one language will end up complicating the problem further. This is how Urdu was made a divisive factor that could have been a unifying element. Respecting and recognising all languages will entail lesser cost and consequences than political ramifications of disparaging them.

Seven decades of endeavours to mould artificial faith based nationhood has plunged the country into a quagmire of extremism. Using one language and faith for political ascendancy has only widened the cracks among people and generated hatred of all kinds. Celebrating and mainstreaming multiplicity of cultures can become an antidote to militancy and fanaticism.

Folklore and literature of the native languages are imbued with the messages of peace, love and harmony. Humanity is the cornerstone of these cultures. Reviving peoples’ cultures and retrofitting our constitutional and policy machinery to harmonise it with cultural diversity of the society can realign our trajectory in the right direction.