WPC wants Gurumukhi taught at Punjab University

[DhadiMania]

WPC wants Gurumukhi taught at Punjab University

By Shahnawaz Khan

LAHORE: The World Punjabi Congress (WPC) is trying to get Gurumukhi (Indian Punjabi) taught as a subject at the Punjab University in Lahore, WPC Chairman Fakhar-u-Zaman told Daily Times ahead of the 10th World Punjabi Conference, which concluded in Chadigarh on Monday.

A delegation of 166 people including journalists, writers and intellectuals participated in the 10th World Punjabi Conference. The delegation was received by Indian WPC members at the Wagah border crossing.

Dr Suran Singh, the commissioner of Jalandhar, hosted a lunch in Amritsar in honour of the largest ever delegation from Pakistan.

Dr Singh also said that the Indian chapter of the WPC had also presented a proposal to the Indian Punjab government to include Shahmukhi (Pakistani Punjabi) in schools in Indian Punjab.

The delegation then left for Chandigarh for the conference at Shivalik View Hotel. Economists, intellectuals, artists, educationists, philosophers, journalists and poets participated in the conference, which concluded with a joint declaration and five resolutions.

The declaration urged both governments to ease visa restrictions for the people of East and West Punjab in the interests of peace and culture. It said both governments should create a free trade environment to improve the living standard of their people. It said the teaching of both Gurumukhi and Shahmukhi scripts should be encouraged and theatre, film, music and dance artists should be encouraged to work together on projects. Visits of journalists should be arranged on a regular basis, it added.

Five resolutions were passed during

the conference. One of the resolutions called for more efforts to promote peace and friendship between the two countries. One urged the media in both Punjabs to promote understanding among people. The third resolution asked the governments to ease visa conditions for the people of both Punjabs. The fourth called for steps by universities and school boards in both Punjabs to include Shahmukhi and Gurumukhi scripts in their courses.