To mend ties with Saudi Arabia, Pakistan Senate on Monday (1 February) unanimously passed the Compulsory Teaching of Arabic Language Bill, 2020.
Now it is mandatory for all educational institutions in the country – public and private to teach Arabic, Pakistan Today has reported.
The bill was tabled by Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) Senator Muhammad Javed Abbasi and was passed in the upper house with the overwhelming support of its members.
The only voice of protest was Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Senator Raza Rabbani who said, “Arabic culture is not my culture. Indus Valley Civilisation is my culture”. However, despite his dissenting speech against the move, Rabbani decided not to vote against it.
Minister of State for Parliamentary Affairs Ali Muhammad Khan said in order to become a good Muslim, learning Arabic is important and this step should have been taken 70-years-ago, and now will help address many issues faced by Pakistanis.
Under this bill, the Arabic language will be compulsorily taught from Classes 1 to 5 and students from classes 6 to 12 will learn Arabic grammar in all the schools coming under the Islamabad Capital Territory.
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