Federal Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, during his visit to the National Language Promotion Department (NLPD), emphasized the need to promote Pakistan’s national language, literature, and intellectual heritage at the international level.
The Federal Minister congratulated Executive Director NLPD Dr. Rashid Hameed on the inclusion of five textbooks authored by him in the academic curriculum and appreciated his scholarly, literary, research and teaching contributions.
Expressing satisfaction over the performance of the institution, the Federal Minister directed the relevant authorities to effectively showcase the scholarly and research work of the National Language Promotion Department not only at the national level but also internationally, so that the world could better understand the institution’s importance, its intellectual contributions, and its role in promoting Pakistan’s languages and literature.
The Federal Minister said that important books published in Urdu should be translated into other languages and their exhibitions should not remain confined to different cities within Pakistan but should also be organized at the international level. He particularly proposed holding exhibitions of Pakistani books and intellectual works in Central Asian countries.
Aurangzeb Khan Khichi directed that books on the history and culture of Central Asian countries that have already been translated into Urdu should also be displayed at such exhibitions. He stressed that books authored by the presidents and prominent personalities of these countries should also be highlighted.
He further said that books covering Pakistan’s culture, history and civilization, which have been translated into Russian, Azerbaijani, Uzbek and Persian, should also be promoted internationally as part of Pakistan’s cultural and literary outreach.
The Federal Minister also put forward various proposals aimed at further improving the institution’s performance and effectiveness and stressed the need to adopt measures in line with modern requirements for the promotion of the national language and literature.
On the occasion, Federal Minister Aurangzeb Khan Khichi also appreciated the scholarly and teaching services of renowned Iqbal scholar, writer, educationist and Executive Director of the National Language Promotion Department, Dr. Rashid Hameed. He congratulated Dr. Rashid Hameed on the publication of his textbooks under the Punjab Textbook Board and on the inclusion of five of his books in the curriculum, paying tribute to his valuable intellectual services to the country and nation.
An important milestone in Dr. Rashid Hameed’s academic and teaching career is the publication of his Urdu textbooks on Pakistan Studies for Grades 10 and 12 under the Punjab Textbook Board, while their English translations have also been published. Earlier, his History textbook for Grade 8 had been part of the curriculum since 2022. With the addition of the latest publications, the total number of his published textbooks included in the curriculum has reached five.
Dr. Rashid Hameed’s Grade 8 History textbook, for which he served as the principal writer, was published in English in 2022. In 2026, his Urdu Pakistan Studies textbooks for Grades 10 and 12 were also published, along with their English translations. This achievement is a commendable recognition of his scholarly, research and writing efforts.
Director General of the National Language Promotion Department Dr. Mazhar Saleem was also present on the occasion. Dr. Rashid Hameed and Dr. Mazhar Saleem presented the Federal Minister with books published by the institution.
The Federal Minister reiterated the government’s commitment to continuing effective measures for the promotion of Pakistan’s national language, literature, history and cultural heritage, and to showcasing the country’s intellectual and literary wealth to the world at the international level.
