Nearly 90% Pakistanis in favor of compulsory Arabic classes — Gallup survey  

A student learns Arabic at the National University of Modern Languages in Islamabad, Pakistan, on September 19, 2019. (AN photo by Sana Jamal)
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Updated 07 March 2021
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Nearly 90% Pakistanis in favor of compulsory Arabic classes — Gallup survey  

  • Senate approved Compulsory Teaching of the Arabic Language Bill 2020 on Feb. 1
  • The bill makes Arabic classes mandatory at all primary and secondary schools in the federal capital

ISLAMABAD: Nearly 90 percent of Pakistanis are in favor of a senate bill that makes Arabic classes compulsory at school, a recent survey shows.

Pakistan’s upper house of parliament last month approved the Compulsory Teaching of the Arabic Language Bill 2020 which makes Arabic classes mandatory at all primary and secondary schools in the capital, Islamabad.

“Eighty-nine percent Pakistanis said that they are in favor of the approval of a Senate bill that calls for Arabic to be a mandatory part of the syllabus in educational institutions,” Gallup & Gilani Pakistan said in the study released on Friday.

The study was carried out on a sample of 1,503 men and women in urban and rural areas of 100 districts of all four provinces of Pakistan between Feb. 6 and Feb. 27.

To become law, the senate bill on Arabic teaching now requires approval by the National Assembly.

The lawmaker who presented the bill, opposition senator Javed Abbasi, argued that a command of Arabic, the official language of over 25 countries, would open up more job opportunities for Pakistanis in the Middle East, leading to lower unemployment and increased remittances.


Pakistan Airports Authority reports ‘historic’ twin-engine aircraft landing in Lahore

Updated 13 December 2025
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Pakistan Airports Authority reports ‘historic’ twin-engine aircraft landing in Lahore

  • Twin-engine aircraft are usually larger, heavier and require better airport infrastructure, navigation systems to land
  • Pakistan Airports Authority says landing reflects its commitment to enhance aviation sector, strengthen infrastructure

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Airports Authority (PAA) announced on Saturday that the New General Aviation Aerodrome achieved a significant milestone when it handled the landing of a twin-engine aircraft. 

A twin-engine aircraft has two engines that provide it redundancy and increased performance compared to single-engine counterparts. These aircraft range from small twin-engine propeller planes to large commercial jetliners. The presence of multiple engines enhances safety by allowing the aircraft to continue flying in the event of an engine failure.

However, twin-engine aircraft are usually larger, heavier and more complex than single-engine planes. They require advanced airport infrastructure such as better runways, navigation systems and air traffic coordination. 

“The New General Aviation Aerodrome, Lahore achieved another significant operational milestone today with the successful landing of a twin-engine aircraft, following the recent arrival of a single-engine aircraft,” the PAA said in a statement. 

It said the flight was also boarded by Air Vice Marshal Zeeshan Saeed, the director general of the PAA. The move reflected “strong institutional confidence” in the aerodrome’s safety standards, operational capability, and overall readiness, it added. 

“The landing was conducted with exceptional precision and professionalism, demonstrating the aerodrome’s robust operational framework, technical preparedness, and effective airside coordination in accordance with contemporary aviation requirements,” the PAA said. 

It said the landing represented a “major advancement” in Pakistan’s general aviation sector and underscores the PAA’s commitment to enhancing regional aviation capacity, strengthening infrastructure and promoting excellence in aviation development.