Arabic language: bill rejected, mover asked to present it as private member bill

The National Assembly standing committee on law and justice on Wednesday out rightly rejected a bill, seeking declaration of Arabic as compulsory subject. The Constitution Amendment Bill, 2015 (amendment in article 31) to declare Arabic language is a compulsory subject was moved by MNA Molana Ameer Zaman. The committee, which met with MNA Chaudhry Mahmood Bashir Virk in the chair said that the Article 31 of the Constitution encourages learning of the Arabic language therefore there is no need to amend the constitution and mover should introduce the legislation as a private member bill.
"It should not leave an impression that we are against the Arabic language or we are less believers as compared to the others as for as the religion is concerned," he added. MNA former Justice Iftikhar Ahmad Cheema and senator Mumtaz Ahmad Tarar said that they did not support the bill, saying they have great respect for Arabic language, but their children are already overburdened by other compulsory subjects especially English due to which we loses major part of our talent.
They were of the opinion to reject the bill and said that the mover should introduce it as a private member bill. PTI MNA Ali Muhammad Khan said that his party fully supports the bill and Arabic should be given constitutional status and be made compulsory subject from class 1 to 10.
"If we succeeded to declare Arabic as a compulsory subject it would be a great service for this nation as it would enable our children to understand the Holy Quran", said the hard-liner PTI MNA from Mardan. MNA Aisha of Jamaat-e-Islami (JI) while supporting the bill said that due to lack of interest over Arabic language there is a shortage of Arabic teachers and it should be made compulsory subject.
The committee was of the view that declaring the Arabic language as a compulsory subject from class 1 to 10 may not be in favour of the country, therefore the committee proposed that for this purpose rules may be enacted and amendment in the constitution should not be proposed and it should be rejected. Zaman said that the Arabic language enjoys supreme status in the Islamic principle being the language of Quran and Islamic teaching. He said that it is the responsibility every Muslim country to give Arabic language national religious and constitutional status, and declare it compulsory in educational curriculum.