Pakistan is a multi-ethnic society in which quite a number of languages are spoken. After its independence in 1947,language planning was among the many dreams of nation-building that Pakistan pursued with remarkable hope and confidence. Nevertheless,the situation has changed very little compared with that of the colonial days though half a century has elapsed. Controversy over English or vernaculars,especially in the domain of education,has proved to be more complex than the first generation of nation-builders could have imagined. English has retained its status as the dominant language in the society and the official language of Pakistan despite the ruling elites’ support of Urdu at the rhetorical levels and the great efforts of the Urdu proto-elite to promote the use of Urdu,the national language. This unexpected fact resulted from both realistic and historical factors,mainly that of privilege,power and wealth acquisition.
