Punjabi language's survival under threat: QAU vice chancellor.

ISLAMABAD -- Unless and until we recognise the importance of history and culture of Punjab by writing and speaking in Punjabi language, we cannot ensure its preservation.

The Punjabi language is under severe threat regarding its survival.

Having a long history, Punjab has cradled the great Gandhara, Soan, Harappan and Indus civilisations and hatched five major religions of the world.

This was stated by Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU) Vice Chancellor Dr Mohammad Ali while speaking as chief guest at the launch of a book - third volume of papers presented at an international conference on 'Punjab: history and culture' organised by the National Institute of Historical and Cultural Research (NIHCR), QAU, on Tuesday.

He said history defines and refines knowledge and correlates study of the past with present.

Dr Ali said Punjab had had the oldest university of the world that was Takshsilla, now named as Taxila.

He said the oldest grammar of the world was invented by one of its scholars named Panini. Similarly, the oldest political philosophy was introduced by one of its scholars, Kutailia Chankia, who wrote the Arthe Shaster.

'Owning all this rich history we should promote religion tourism.'

He said Punjab was replete with volumes of historical events like communal harmony that existed before the partition.

Ironically, communal riots broke out at the time of independence in 1947. All such events are needed to be explored and recorded.

Dr Ali urged the NIHCR management to also organise international...