Sindhi Language Authority

Sindhi Language Authority (SLA) (Sindhi:سنڌي ٻولي جو بااختيار ادارو) is an autonomous body under the administrative control of the Department of Culture, Tourism and Youth Affairs of the Government of Sindh province in Pakistan. There is a Board of Governors to frame the policies for achieving the aims and objectives of Authority and ensure their implementation. First Board of Governors was constituted under the Chairmanship of renowned scholar and writer Dr. Nabi Bux Khan Baloch.

Since the establishment of Sindhi language authority, different scholars and writers were appointed as its Chairman from time to time, who contributed at their best for the development and promotion of Sindhi language. The present chairperson is Prof. Dr. Fahmida Hussain.

indhi Language

Sindhi is one of the major languages of Pakistan , spoken in the province of Sindh by approximately forty million people. It is one of the oldest language of the sub-continent with a rich culture, vast folklore and extensive literature.

Linguistic Boundaries

Sindhi has extended its boundaries beyond the province of Sindh . In northern Sindh it flows over the north-west into Baluchistan province, former Bahawalpur state (now in Punjab), on the west it is bounded by the mountain range separating Sindh from Baluchistan.

This boundary has not been crossed by Sindhi, except in the southern part of the hilly area of Kohistan . Here in general , the language spoken is Baluchi but Sindhi is also found spoken by a good number of population. It is spoken as mother tongue in some parts of Baluchistan. It has spread its influence still further towards the Persian Gulf in the Lasbella area of Baluchistan and is spoken as a first language along with Baluchi (Makrani) by a large number of people in Jadgal, Guwadar, Ormara and Pasni, and has crossed the Gulf and is spoken in Muskat, UAE and generally in the coastal region.

In the east and south-west, Sindhi has crossed the Runn of Kucch and is spoken by a large number of people in Kucch, Gujrat and the peninsula of Kathiawar in India. In the east, it has influenced the speech of the neighbouing parts of Marwar and Jaisalmir states of Rajistan (Rajputana in India).

After the partition of British India, numerous Sindhi Hindus migrated from Sindh and settled in the central and western parts of India speak Sindhi in their household. It is also spoken by approximately 4,00,000 people as their first language, in Tanzania, Kenya, Uganda, Congo, South Africa, Madagascar, East Africa, U.K., U.S.A. and Canada by those who have migrated from Sindh and settled there. It is also spoken in Hong Kong, Singapore, Thailand, Srilanka and in some other countries in Far-East and South East-Asia by those people who have settled there in the first quarter of the 20th century or even earlier.

Constitution

Purpose

*WHEREAS, Article 251(3) of the constitution of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, 1973 lays down that:

“Without prejudice to the status of the National language, a Provincial Assembly may by law prescribe measures for the teaching, promotion and se f a provincial language in addition to the national language.”

So, therefore in deference to and in compliance with Article of the Constitution, the Provincial Assembly of Sindh passed the necessary law, the Sindh (Teaching, Promotion and the Use of Sindhi Language)Act 1972 and the Sindh (Teaching. Promotion and Use of Sindhi Language) (Amendment) Acct, 1990 providing that, without prejudice to the status of the National Language, Sindhi Shall be used as the provincial language of Sindh and that the Government of Sindh may constitute and set up Boards, Academies, Authority and make effective arrangements and rules inter alia for progressive use of Sindhi Language in the province as envisaged in the Act.

*WHEREAS, in connection with the preceding purposes it has been decided to establish, with immediate effect, the Sindhi Language Authority as an autonomous body.

Name: The name of the Authority shall be Sindhi Language Authority.

Office: The Authority shall have its headquarters at Hyderabad/Karachi.

Functions

The objectives and functions of the Authority shall be as follows:-

#To consider ways and means for the promotion of Sindhi language and to make all necessary arrangements in this regard for the teaching, promotion and use of Sindhi language as the Provincial language and achieving better understanding, harmonious linguistic development, national cohesion and integration.
#To maintain and reinforce the status of Sindhi language at all levels in the official and semi official records both in the provincial government records and in the semi-government autonomous institutions and local bodies records
#To co-ordinate and ensure correct use of Sindhi language in (i) provincial and local bodies records, notifications, manuals and publications, (ii) in educational text books, and (iii) in permanent official documents and lasting public monuments and fixtures like foundation stones, maps, signboards, mileage stones, place names etc.
#To facilitate due adoption of Sindhi language as the language of the competitive examinations.
#To co-ordinate and promote correct use of Sindhi language in the media e.g. the T.V, the Radio, the Newspapers and other periodic publications.
#To promote the use of Sindhi language in specified Federal documents and publications in coordination and with the assistance of the National Language Authority.
#To undertake preparation/publication of Dictionaries, encyclopedia, reference books, scientific literature and periodicals.
#To arrange translation and publication of Technical terms in science subjects and humanities.
#To undertake training programmes for computer technology, modern typewriting and shorthand writing in Sindhi.
#To bring the National language and other Pakistani languages closer by arranging translations and publications of major Sindhi works of history and literature in Urdu, Pashto, Punjabi, Brahvi and Balochi.
#To undertake translations of major Sindhi works of scholars and writers into English for international understanding, goodwill and appreciation.
#To institute prizes and awards, to hold seminars and lectures, and to adopt any other measures for promoting any of the above objections.
#To take any other steps are as approved by the Authority.

Composition of Authority

The Authority comprises as follows:-

#Chairman.
#12 non-official members from eminent scholars.
#5 Ex-official members as under:-

i) Chairman, Sindh Public Service commission.

ii)Sr. Member, Board of Revenue Sindh.

iii) Secretary Finance Department Government of Sindh or his representative.

iv) Secretary Education, Government of Sindh.

v)Secretary, Culture, Tourism, Sports, Youth Affairs and Social Welfare Department Government of Sindh.

The Chief Minister may nominate any other person or persons as members of the Authority, provided however, that the Authority shall consist of a maximum of 18 members.

No act or proceeding of the Authority shall be invalidated merely because of any vacancy in the Authority or defect in its constitution.

Appointment of Chairman

ecretary and Treasure

i)The Chairman shall be appointed by the Chief Minister.

ii)The Secretary and the Treasure of the Authority will be appointed by the Chief Minister on the recommendations of the Authority and their remuneration and other terms and conditions of service will be regulated by the Authority with the prior approval of the Provincial Government.

Powers of Authority

The Authority has the powers to take all such actions as may be necessary for achieving the objectives of the Authority and in particular:-

a)To approve the budget estimates of the Authority subject to acceptance by the Finance Department.

b)To acquire, retain & dispose off.

c)To set up Committees in order to secure cooperation and collaboration of all Provincial departments, autonomous bodies and organizations.

d)To frame, with the approval of the Provincial Government, regulations for carrying out the purposes of the Authority and in particular, for the following:-

i)The appointment of officers and staff of the Authority, their scales of pay and other terms and conditions of service.

ii)Admissibility of traveling and daily allowance to members of the Authority.

Powers of the Chairman

The Chairman of the Authority shall be its Chief Executive and shall have powers over its administration, and financial and other activities.

Powers of the Secretary

The Secretary shall, under the general supervision of the Chairman, look after the office of the Authority and maintain record of proceedings of the meetings of Authority and of the Executive Committee. He shall implement the decisions of the Authority and of the Executive Committee as approved by the Chairman.

Tenure of Membership

*Members of the Authority, other than ex-officio members, shall hold office for a period of three years.

*On the occurrence of a vacancy in the office of a member other than and ex-officio member, whether on account of the expiration of his term of otherwise, the Chief Minister may nominate a person to succeed such member.

Executive Committee

*There shall be an Executive Committee of the Authority having necessary powers to take decisions on administrative and financial matters on behalf of the Authority when it is not in session, provide that these decisions shall be referred to the Authority for rectification in its next meeting.
*The Executive Committee shall comprise:

1. Chairman.

2. Secretary.

3. Representative of the Culture Department.

4. Representative of the Finance Department

5. Such other members as the Chairman may nominate.

List of SLA Chairpersons

Since the establishment of Sindhi Language Authority below mentioned Scholars were appointed as Chairman whereas Prof. Dr. Fahmida Hussain is the sitting Chairperson.

Finance

The fund of the Authority shall comprise Government grants and donations and any other income, sale of books proceeds.

Accounts

The fund of the Authority shall be maintained in a bank selected by the Authority. The account of the Authority shall be jointly operated by any two of the following,

*Chairman;
*Secretary, and,
*Any other person nominated/appointed for the purpose.

Audit

The accounts of the Authority shall be audited by an Auditor appointed by the Sindh Government.

Annual Reports

The Annual Report about the activities and performance of the Authority shall be prepared and published by the Authority within three months after the close of every financial year.

Directives

The Chief Minister may issue any general or specific directive to the Authority for undertaking specific tasks or for enlarging or restricting its functions and duties for purposes consistent with the aims and objectives of the Authority.

The Administration Division

The Department of Culture shall be Administrative Department for all purposes connected with the affairs of the Authority and all references of the Authority to the Provincial Government including its communication to the Chief Minister shall be routed through that Department.

ee Also

* Sindhi language

External Links

* [http://www.sindhila.org/ Official website of Sindhi Language Authority (SLA)]