Islamabad (GNP): Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi unveiled the first three volumes of the revised edition of Urdu Lughat (Tarikhi Usool Par), reaffirming the government’s commitment to preserving Pakistan’s linguistic and cultural heritage.
At the launch ceremony, Khichi described Urdu as central to the nation’s identity, announced his intention to recommend renowned linguist Dr. Haji Muhammad Rafiq Pardesi for one of Pakistan’s top civil honors, and witnessed the signing of a memorandum of understanding for the publication of all 22 volumes of the historic dictionary.
Event Details of the edition volumes of Urdu Lughat
Organized by the National Language Promotion Department (NLPD), the ceremony was attended by Federal Secretary for National Heritage and Culture Asad Rehman Gilani, Dr. Pardesi himself, along with senior officials, literary scholars, linguists, and academics.
Addressing the gathering, Khichi described Urdu as a custodian of Pakistan’s cultural identity, calling the publication of an authentic historical dictionary a valuable scholarly resource for the country. He reaffirmed the government’s continued support for initiatives promoting the Urdu language and preserving the nation’s literary heritage, praising the newly printed Nastaliq edition as a reflection of the language’s ongoing vitality. He noted that the National Heritage and Culture Division, through institutions like NLPD, continues to play a significant role in preserving Pakistan’s cultural and linguistic legacy.
Khichi paid tribute to Dr. Pardesi’s contributions and congratulated the NLPD and Urdu Dictionary Board on completing the first three revised volumes, announcing his plan to recommend Pardesi for a top national honor in recognition of his work promoting Urdu.
Remarks from Officials
Federal Secretary Gilani described the revised dictionary as the product of years of scholarly effort, noting that preserving a language’s dictionary also means preserving a nation’s intellectual and cultural memory. He commended the NLPD team, particularly Director General Prof. Dr. Muhammad Saleem Mazhar, for completing this significant national project.
Mazhar noted that institutions established after Pakistan’s independence have played a key role in protecting the country’s literary heritage, describing Urdu Lughat (Tarikhi Usool Par) as one of the world’s most rigorous scholarly dictionaries. He recalled that the dictionary’s first volume was published in 1977, with the earlier edition’s final volume completed in 2010, expressing confidence that work on the remaining revised volumes would now proceed more quickly.
NLPD Executive Director Dr. Rashid Hameed welcomed attendees and acknowledged the financial support provided by Barkati Foundation founder Dr. Pardesi, crediting his contribution with making the revised edition possible, and noting that continued federal support would help complete the remaining volumes.
Dr. Pardesi’s Remarks
Dr. Pardesi described the historical dictionary as an invaluable resource for linguistic research, saying the revised edition would give researchers and students easier access to reliable linguistic material. Referring to Urdu as his mother tongue, he expressed satisfaction at contributing to its preservation.
Earlier in the event, literary scholars including Wajid Jawad, Dr. Farooq Adil, Dr. Abid Sial, Dr. Humaira Ashfaq, Dr. Rabia Kiyani, and Dr. Amjad Kallu spoke about the importance of Urdu and the scholarly significance of the dictionary project.
Also read: Pak-IMF Reviews Reform Progress and Macroeconomic Performance
The event concluded with Minister Khichi and Dr. Pardesi signing the memorandum of understanding for publishing the complete 22-volume revised dictionary. Dr. Pardesi presented the minister with sacred relics, a special copy of the Quran, and the first three published volumes, while the minister presented him with a certificate of appreciation in recognition of his contributions to Urdu.
Sohail Majeed is a Special Correspondent at The Diplomatic Insight. He has twelve plus years of experience in journalism & reporting. He covers International Affairs, Diplomacy, UN, Sports, Climate Change, Economy, Technology, and Health.
