Pakistan should have a cadre of interpreters with efficient language skill to cope with rising demand for interpreters as country's increased participation in international forums, like WTO. Interpreter's job offers excellent opportunities of high remuneration and social stature.
It may be pointed out that many trade institutions in the country and abroad need the services of qualified interpreters for developing contacts with overseas agents. However, there are few takers because of the shortage of competent and qualified persons with foreign language skills.
Syed Mukhtar Haidar Shah, Joint Secretary (Administration) of National Assembly told Business Recorder that the NA secretariat recently advertised the job of interpreter to do simultaneous rendering in English and Urdu of Members' speeches but only a few candidates with relevant diploma or degrees responded to the advertisement. He pointed out that even the Foreign Office does not possess cadres of qualified interpreters in foreign languages.
Senate and National Assembly need skilled hands not only for interpreting speeches made on the floor, and in the standing committees, but also to deal with visiting parliamentary delegations.
Heads of foreign delegations usually like to speak in their own mother tongue. To meet this need Parliament hires interpreters from the National University of Modern Languages (NUML).
Considering the very close relationship with Chinese Parliament, the NA Secretariat has sent its research director Razia Sultana to learn the Chinese language.
It might be mentioned that the Chinese Radio in Beijing almost invariably hires a Pakistani for external Urdu language service. So do BBC, Deutsche. Wales, Danish Radio and Voice of America, to name a few, for Urdu broadcasts beamed to this region. When contacted, Brigadier Aziz, Rector of NUML, said his university offered a two years' course of interpretership, in 22 foreign languages.
The NUML courses were tailored to suit the need to get ahead fast in intensive instructive course designed for a personalised programme, that integrates professional and personal skill to speak in native languages such as Arabic, Chinese, French, English, German, Italian, Persian, Japanese, Spanish, Dutch, Portuguese, Polish, as well as prepare documents, presentations and write details for real professional situations with a good control of the language.
The Rector added that after passing out, NUML diploma holders are quickly absorbed in foreign embassies. Besides NUML, institutions such as Alliance Francais, British Council, Khana-e-Farhang Iran, Goethe Institute, etc teach the language spoken in their own country.
Interpreters are also needed by commercial and trade bodies to establish contacts, which need to follow WTO standards, as well as for meeting international objections often raised about the quality of goods, as well as in participation in international conferences and seminars, which are being organised in Pakistan at a fair pace.
However, English is used as the principal language in international meetings held in Pakistan, although many interpreters would be needed for day to day contacts with foreign delegates and guests who visit Pakistan on official invitations.
Amjad Farooq of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce in Karachi informed this scribe they maintain a directory of persons with foreign language skills and hire their services for extending hospitality to foreign guests and delegates, who have only rudimentary knowledge of English. He also said now a days, much of the interpreting is done by computers. You feed the data in, and the computer will translate you in the knowledge you want it to be done.
A public relations official of the Industries Minister related the story of recent gems and jewel exhibition organised by his Ministry in Bangkok. They hired a Thai girl to meet the needs of local language transmission and ended up with orders of 800 million dollar. From these two examples, quoted above, one could come to conclusion that local commercial and business houses need to be synthesised to hire more interpreters.