I wonder what percentage of Pakistan population speak fluent English?
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
not many unfortunately...
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
Not an important question at all. Though learning of anything is good including English but unfortunately, speaking English as a critirion of high status need to be done away with.
Anyway, the kids of rich people can speak English while it is banned for poor people. The children of rich have the license to read in good schools while Govt's poor standard schools are reserved for poor people.
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
Don't pin it on laws/government, no body stops anyone from speaking English if they so wish.
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
English is the medium of mass communication… How can you say its not important? Countries like India which have a large English speaking populas have turned this into an asset, considering all the call centers that have popped up..
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
Well, the opinions of the disgruntled/frustrated/pissed Pakistanis/Indians aside, English is pretty much everywhere in Pakistan. All the Shop signs are usually put up in English, words of English like glass, okay, yes, no have pretty much made it into everyday Urdu as well. You'll find someone who can speak English pretty much anywhere in Pak -- and like the rest of the world, those who don't are pretty much interested in learning it too. Even my driver can speak a lot of phrases of English.
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
More than 10 % for sure
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
I think you are expatriate, whenever you come to Pakistan, please visit some govt schools and then see what I mean.
All the people responsible for the good standard of education like Education Minister, Secretary, DG, Director etc are sending their children to private high standard schools and therefore pay no attention to the govt schools where teachers hardly teach basic lessons let alone talking in English and I am sure none of them can talk in English.
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
Thats true, but there are examples where nations are on the verge of Superpower status or remained superpower without giving any wothwhile importance to this aspect. They concentrate on learning art, skill, science etc rather than language.
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
Well taking an average of 35% literacy rate, out of which hardly 10% can speak English, that means 3.5%.
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
Guys. Dont get me wrong here. I DON'T think speaking English is essential to improve your economy or become a world power. I am just curious because both Pakistan and India was under British rules for centuries. I don not think Pakistan should make too much effort to promote English at school.
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
An educated guess will be <1%
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
To me, speaking English or not is not the matter of fortune. What is unfortunate is that English has become status symbol, and not knowing how to speak it is considered unfortunate in our country.
Our reliance on English only means that we either don’t have the desire or the ability to develop our own national language. My personal view is that it is not about ability but desire.
Usmania University in Hyderabad was the only institution which did ground-breaking work when it translated many scientific terms in Urdu. Most scientific knowledge in Urdu available today was the work of that university. But all that development of language stalled afterwards. Today we are happy to use as many English words and terms in our vocabulary as possible.
No language is an indication of how developed and cultured a nation is, including English.
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
You have a good point about English language, it is a doudle edged sword for less developed countries like Pakistan and India.
1) It has robbed the countries to some extent of Doctors and Engineers who come to the West for higher education and never return.
2) Students who learn English and want to do research in any technical field will always end up in the Western Universities. where as if the old countries would make efforts to translate knowledge of science and medicine into Hindi and Urdu and make it available to the populace it may stop the brain drain.
**3) China and Japan are good examples where research is conducted in the local and very difficult languages, a lot of progress but no brain drain.:) **
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
15, 234, 288
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
Don’t know about English but quite a few speak Angreji…
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
Yup. English is just a tool. For a nation, it depends how policy makers to utilize this tool. Use it well, it will become an advantage. If they don't know how to use it, it will turn against you.
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
you're not educated enough to make an educated guess.
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
Re: How many Pakistanis speak English?
But in a globalized world where ideas are constantly flowing around, and that to in English, there is no way you can ignore this…
Simple example, Pakistan needs good textbooks, and the majority of these books happen to be in English or other languages that are more widely spoken… In fact most of the arts, skills, sciences are communicated in English…
So while many developed countries havent relied on English to develop, it certainly does help… At the very least your opening the minds of your people to a world og knowledge… Pakistanis have the Internet for example, but most of them cant understand it.