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National Consultation On Pakistan Sign Language Held In Islamabad
In Person Session
- Organized By: The Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training (MoFEPT), NUML and UNESCO Pakistan
- Event Type: Arranged
- Hotel Islamabad
- Sep 30,2025
- 09:30 AM
Description:
Islamabad, 30 September 2025 : The Ministry of Federal Education & Professional Training (MoFEPT), in collaboration with the National University of Modern Languages (NUML) and UNESCO Pakistan, hosted the National Consultation on Pakistan Sign Language (PSL) at Hotel Islamabad. The event gathered senior policymakers, academics, representatives of the Deaf community, and international experts to deliberate on the development and standardization of PSL.
The consultation was graced by Ms. Wajiha Qamar, Minister of State for Federal Education & Professional Training, and Major General (Retd) Shahid Mahmood Kayani, HI(M), Rector NUML, who addressed the participants.
In his address, the Rector of NUML emphasized that “Sign Language is not a privilege, but a right – an essential bridge for inclusion and equal opportunity for the Deaf community.” He reaffirmed NUML’s institutional commitment to support PSL through its strengths in linguistics, translation, curriculum design, and technology integration, as well as capacity-building of teachers and interpreters.
The Rector further called for policy, legislative, and financial backing to ensure PSL is embedded within Pakistan’s mainstream education system. He underlined that this effort aligns with UNESCO’s global mandate on inclusive education and linguistic diversity.
Ms. Wajiha Qamar appreciated UNESCO Pakistan and NUML for their collaborative role and reiterated the government’s strong resolve to promote inclusive learning. She assured that the Ministry will continue to facilitate initiatives aimed at empowering the Deaf community.
The consultation concluded with the presentation of a draft framework for standardizing Pakistan Sign Language, which will be shared with stakeholders across provinces for review and refinement. The conference also paved the way for future collaboration between MoFEPT, NUML, and UNESCO to expand training programs, interpreter development, and accessible learning resources.
This initiative represents a milestone in Pakistan’s journey toward inclusive education and reaffirms NUML’s role as a strategic partner in knowledge creation and national development.
