QUETTA (The Thursday Times) — The Balochistan Assembly on Friday unanimously adopted a resolution recommending that basic Arabic be made a compulsory subject in all government primary schools across the province.
The resolution, moved by JUI-F lawmaker Shahida Rauf, asks the provincial government to teach children commonly used Quranic words and their meanings through a simple, standardised curriculum set out grade by grade, with trained teachers and quality textbooks.
It calls for the subject to be brought in step by step, with regular reviews of how the teaching is working.
Education Minister Raheela Hameed Durrani told the House that schools already have provisions for Nazira Quran, and that Arabic is taught at higher levels. She asked the mover to withdraw the resolution, but the House approved it anyway.
Dr Abdul Malik Baloch, the National Party chief and a former chief minister, reminded members that the province passed a law in 2013 on teaching children in their mother languages, and urged the government to put that law into effect alongside the new recommendation.
In the same sitting, a resolution moved by Jamaat-e-Islami lawmaker Maulana Hidayatur Rehman Baloch, seeking effective implementation of the 1976 law that abolished the sardari system, failed to win a majority.
Minister Mir Zahoor Buledi said members had nothing against nawabs and sardars as individuals, but that violations of people’s rights could not be accepted. Minister Ali Madad Jattak spoke in support of the resolution.
A third resolution, seeking direct flights between Quetta and Sukkur, lapsed because the House did not have a quorum.
The session, chaired by Deputy Speaker Ghazala Gola, began 40 minutes late.
