Pakistan Prime Minister Imran Khan has directed that all his functions, meetings and other programs should be held in the country’s national language Urdu, in an apparent attempt to appeal to nationalistic sentiments.

A notification issued by the Prime Minister Office (PMO) said: “The prime minister has been pleased to desire that henceforth all the programs events/ceremonies, arranged for the prime minister, shall be conducted in the national (Urdu) language.

“Further necessary action to implement the above directions of the prime minister shall be taken by all concerned accordingly.”

A source in the PMO told Dawn that the prime minister was committed to promoting and giving due respect to the national language; therefore he wanted all his programs and events to be conducted in the national language.

In September 2015, the Supreme Court of Pakistan had directed the federal and provincial governments to adopt Urdu as the official language in the country.

(SAM)