Urdu Dictionary project earns praise as minister backs civil award for Haji Muhammad Rafiq Pardesi

ISLAMABAD: Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Division Aurangzeb Khan Khichi has announced that he will recommend Haji Muhammad Rafiq Pardesi for Pakistan’s highest civil award in recognition of his contribution to the publication of the country’s landmark 22-volume Urdu Dictionary.

The announcement came during the launch ceremony of the first three volumes of the modern, authoritative Urdu Dictionary, compiled on historical principles by the Urdu Dictionary Board, Karachi, under the National Language Promotion Agency (NLPA).

Minister lauds contribution to national heritage

Addressing the ceremony at Urdu House, Islamabad, Aurangzeb Khan Khichi described Urdu as a symbol of Pakistan’s national identity and cultural heritage.

He said the publication of an authentic Urdu Dictionary represents a significant intellectual asset for the country and assured continued government support for projects that promote the national language.

The minister praised Haji Muhammad Rafiq Pardesi for financially supporting the ambitious scholarly project and said his contribution deserved the nation’s highest recognition.

First three volumes completed

Officials announced that the first three volumes of the 22-volume dictionary have been completed, while the remaining volumes are expected to be published within the next year.

The dictionary has been produced in a modern Nastaliq format and will be available in both printed and digital editions, giving researchers, students and language experts easier access to authentic linguistic material.

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Scholars highlight historical significance

Federal Secretary for National Heritage and Culture Asad Rehman Gilani called the publication the result of years of dedicated academic work, saying dictionaries preserve a nation’s knowledge, language and cultural identity.

Director General of the National Language Promotion Agency Professor Dr. Muhammad Saleem Mazhar said the dictionary meets international scholarly standards and represents one of Pakistan’s most significant linguistic achievements.

He noted that the first volume was published in 1977, while the final volume of the previous edition appeared in 2010, adding that the new edition would now be completed on an accelerated timeline.

Pardesi says project is a service to Urdu

Speaking at the ceremony, Haji Muhammad Rafiq Pardesi, founder of the Barkati Foundation, described the publication as a service to the Urdu language and Pakistan’s intellectual heritage.

He said supporting the project was a matter of personal pride and expressed hope that future generations would benefit from the comprehensive historical dictionary.

“I have travelled across the world, but there is no country like Pakistan,” he said.

Experts welcome digital access

Language experts at the event praised the dictionary for documenting the historical evolution of Urdu words through references from both prose and poetry.

Speakers also welcomed the digitisation of dictionary records, saying electronic access would make authentic linguistic resources more accessible for students, researchers and academics.

MoU signed for remaining volumes

The ceremony concluded with the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between Haji Muhammad Rafiq Pardesi and the National Heritage and Culture Division to support the publication of all 22 volumes.

Pardesi presented the Federal Minister with a copy of the Tabarakat Quran Hakim and the first three volumes of the dictionary, while the ministry awarded him a certificate of appreciation for his contribution to the project.