Abstract
The controversy of the medium of instruction in Pakistan is old and its roots date back to the pre-Independence Colonial period. Pakistan inherited an educational structure from the British Empire which was later largely modified but its certain essential features are in place to date. The banishment of Urduand, in its stead, the inclusion of English as a medium of instruction is one such feature which, in its own right, is a wellrecognized colonial relic. The use of English as a medium of instruction in Pakistan has its defenders as well as detractors. However, what is crucially missing in this debate, is the expert opinion and the evidence-based technical and dispassionate analysis of the problem at hand. A large number of the people who usually participate in this debate tend to come up with unsubstantiated claims and opinion-based generalizations. This paper intends to make a well substantiated appraisal of the loss and gain of the medium of instruction, andexamines the relevance and value of the first language (in our case, Urdu)in the context of the medium of instruction. Finally, the paper expects to bring about an informed understanding of the process, context, objectives, and outcomes of the medium of instruction from the perspective of language pedagogy and planning.

Dr. Jamil Asghar , Muhammad Yousaf . (2016) Banishing Urdu as a Medium of Instruction from Pakistan: An Appraisal of Loss and Gain , Mayar , Volume 15-16, Issue 2.
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