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Does our praise for Bilawal's time at Davos expose our weird obsession with 'good English'?
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Does our praise for Bilawal's time at Davos expose our weird obsession with 'good English'?

People are calling this behaviour a product of our colonial hangover, and we gotta say, they might be onto something
Images Staff
Updated 18 Aug, 2018

Many things stood out at this year's World Economic Forum (WEF): the forum's first ever all-female panel of co-chairs, Malala's talk with Buzzfeed journalist Miriam Elder and Justin Trudeau's rubber duck socks.

That being said, Pakistani Twitter was abuzz with something different: praise for PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and his time in Davos; specifically for his interview with Indian media channel India Today.

People commenting on this interview flung about words like 'eloquent' and 'articulate'.

There is no doubt that the substance of his responses to Indian journalist Rahul Kanwal was solid: he cleverly navigated questions about terrorism, managed to touch on Kashmir without offending, and professed that the good of the average Pakistani was more important to him than political partisanship.

However, most commentators weren't impressed by these points. They were impressed by his... English.

This is a pattern. A couple of weeks ago, an interview that Hina Rabbani Khar did with Christine Amanpour also started doing the rounds on social media lauding her for being able to answer questions "intelligently".

This makes us wonder: is our bar for politicians really so low that we get impressed when educated people can string together multi-syllabic words?

More troubling is the fact that on the sidelines at Davos, Bilawal also gave an interview in Urdu to DW where he aired many of the same opinions he presented in English -- this interview, however, was not praised by anyone.

True, his fluency in Urdu is lacking in this interview, but his message is similar. Are we really so biased against Urdu that we would ignore this? Apparently so.

After all, we are the same people who make fun of Bilawal Bhutto's political rallies in Pakistan where he occasionally trips on his Urdu. And we're the same people who make fun of Pakistani cricketers who don't have great English language skills. Same goes for our mockery of Meera.

Read this next: Don't be ashamed if you can't speak English, says Hamza Ali Abbasi to Sarfraz Ahmed

Perhaps we need to be less impressed by a politician's English language skills and more focused on what tangible results he has achieved for his electorate.

These people seem to have the right idea:

This piece was originally published on Images on Jan 30, 2018.

Comments

imama Jan 30, 2018 03:46pm
yes
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Saad Jan 30, 2018 03:47pm
Yes, He is a British Citizen.
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Pakistan_Zindabad Jan 30, 2018 03:51pm
Is speaking good English one of the condition to be a political leader? What about good character, vision, leadership qualities, integrity and willingness to do something for country and it's public without having personal motives - these are some of the qualities required to be a good leader. Does Bilawal and Mayram have these qualities? I have my strong reservations!
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Ubaid Jan 30, 2018 03:54pm
I believe the praise was not because of our weird obsession with the English language, but because for the first time Bilawal was seen giving his opinion in his native tongue(english) instead of urdu. When he speaks in urdu, he is basically saying whatever is fed to him from behind the scenes, I guess he finds it difficult to make up his own words in urdu and relies on the memorized sentences. This time he was able to speak his heart out. P.S I am not a Bilawal or PPP fan.
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AQ Jan 30, 2018 03:57pm
I am amazed that "Educated people" and "Well aware Media" still in favour of corrupt politics and their likewise family by praising their twisted words, their idea logy which they have never implemented and their promises they never kept.
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Junaid Ali Jan 30, 2018 04:01pm
We may disagree with policies of ZAB and now bilawal but one can’t deny the fact that no one in Pakistan history has even represented Pakistan on International forum better than both of them
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Junaid Ali Jan 30, 2018 04:03pm
Unfortunately the only reason bilawal is not taken seriously is because he can’t speak urdu otherwise he’s a a very sensible and well informed he can share his opinion in English extremely well after all politics is in the blood of bhutto family
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Sajjad Kamran Jan 30, 2018 04:05pm
Good English+ Good substance+ Good understanding of issues+ Good intensions+ Good implementation of what we preach= Makes something we really need.
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umar Jan 30, 2018 04:07pm
indeed, his speaking was eloquent and articulate and it seemed he knew exactlt what he was talking about but is he a good leader or can he be good leader, only time will tell.
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Ahsan Gul Jan 30, 2018 04:08pm
His contents of interview to include clarity of his thought process at that time.
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Javed Jan 30, 2018 04:09pm
He is from the same generation as Maryam Nawaz. And she beats him right out of the ballpark.
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Jehangir Masud Jan 30, 2018 04:11pm
This debate shows how superficial we have become. What was impressive about the young man's performance was how he navigated the minefield laid out for him by the interviewer while being true to himself and taking courageous positions. Let's the discuss the substance rather than the style. It is a debate that is long overdue.
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aleem Jan 30, 2018 04:15pm
I am not a fan of PPP or Bhutto or for that matter Zardari clan but lets give the credit where it is due. Bilawal not only spoke eloquently but put across his point of view as a seasoned politicians. and I felt good as a Pakistani as we are not blessed with many politicians who speak like that. He needs to prove his commitment, honesty, integrity and feel for poor people of this country before we can accept him as a political leader. He needs to move away from the shadow of his father and his fathers reputation and prove his credentials as a person with an independent thinking and views. Till then people will remain skeptical no matter how eloquent and impressive he sounds in English
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DannyGordon Jan 30, 2018 04:23pm
haven't watched the interview yet just read the excerpt here on dawn, and word for word i think he surprised most of us
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Ali Thaheem Jan 30, 2018 04:25pm
@Saad Says who?
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Alanore Jan 30, 2018 04:46pm
@Ubaid is native tongue is Sindhi not English or Urdu
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Alanore Jan 30, 2018 04:48pm
@Pakistan_Zindabad Dont compare Bilawal with Maryam. Bilawal has qualities of making a good leader.
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Arif Sayeed Jan 30, 2018 04:55pm
As a friend put it; " If you put a Rolls Royce emblem on a Civic it does not become a Rolls! the DNA doesn't change. These are people who dont want to know what this country is going through and if they do they choose not to look at it. They have learnt to rob from their parents, and will continue to do so. The DNA dosent change, no matter how eloquent,"
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Khwarizmi Jan 30, 2018 04:58pm
Our expectations to our politicians have fallen to such a low level that just talking proper english will do.
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kabeelakhan Jan 30, 2018 04:59pm
Nawaz Sharif is so mediocre when it comes to English speaking , but he is our leader.
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E. Sherazee Jan 30, 2018 05:04pm
Its not only his English but also the clarity and understanding of the issues of Pakistan Today. The confidence was also a plus for him
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Ali Jan 30, 2018 05:07pm
Irrespective of Urdu or English, being articulate is what made him sound better. He has more control on his English than Urdu so it is natural to sound more effective in English.
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Saira Jan 30, 2018 05:08pm
No. It should be an obsession. Good English is essential if Pakistan wants to present itself to the world as a progressive country. That does not mean we are pandering to a colonial mindset.It doesn't have to be fancy or poetic English but the expression should be correct. We have very few Pakistani politicians of note with the exception of Imran Khan who have a good command of English. That is how Pakistan makes its case on the world stage before the media. The fact of the matter is that the most advanced nations on the face of this Earth are proficient in English because it is in this language that most scientific research is verified. Not that it means we should forget Urdu. We need to be fluent in Urdu too and value our indigenous languages but it comes back to making education basics a priority for all.
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nisar Jan 30, 2018 05:17pm
Exvellent. I wish he were not the son of Zardari.
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Truthseeker Jan 30, 2018 05:17pm
Ideas are not worth anything if they are not presented eloquently. Only Pakistani leader who has both.
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nisar Jan 30, 2018 05:17pm
I wish he were not the son of Zardari.
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a Jan 30, 2018 05:22pm
Articulate My foot ! He is sooo nervous and stutters at so many places !
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Asad Jan 30, 2018 05:25pm
@Javed. He is not from the same generation. Maryam is about 45, he’s under 30. And how does Maryam beat him right out of the park? Bilawal exhibited at Davos that he has the potential to be an outstanding statesmen. Maryam is just good for local rallies and creating political drama. She’s no where close to Bilawal, despite having 15 years on him.
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ali Jan 30, 2018 05:29pm
Politicians from other countries speak in their own language no matter what and they have translators and they are not shy or ashamed , we have leaders who can't string a sentence together, but they dress as though they are on catwalks.
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syed Jan 30, 2018 05:30pm
Perhaps, it's the admirers' obsession with what's said and not who said... And that's a positive attitude.
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Liberal Jan 30, 2018 05:33pm
The ability to speak English well also reflects a refinement of the mind -- as does the ability to speak good Urdu.
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RAHMAN SHAIKH Jan 30, 2018 05:49pm
What we praise is not ENGLISH but articulate talk, proper posture and normal gestures . His Urdu speeches always backfire.
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Salman Jan Jan 30, 2018 05:58pm
Very well articulated responses with +ve solutions.
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UNCLE SAM Jan 30, 2018 06:06pm
PPP can't clean Karachi, provide clean water, education, health to the people of Sindh. Kids dying in Thar and not to mention police brutality against the citizens. I think PAK will be better of without these looteras.
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yousuf tareen Jan 30, 2018 06:14pm
Thank you for bringing this up because I thought I was the only one with a similar opinion. I do not understand why people are so enthused by so called eloquence, the man has grown up in an English speaking environment and educated at British schools and Oxford university. I will be impressed when he speaks decent Urdu.
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Sahil Jan 30, 2018 06:43pm
He spoke diplomatically mostly but he also put the anchor in his place whenever he tried to be cunning. Overall, I won't vote for him. If they don't have democracy in their own party then how can they bring democracy in the country.
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sarcasticallyyours Jan 30, 2018 07:21pm
Putting aside the accent, the content and arguments were not bad either. We should give credit where due.
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syed wasim haider Jan 30, 2018 07:58pm
We were impressed with ZAB because of his speech in UN; we are impressed when IK and Hina Khar speaks. So it is quite natural we will be impressed by England educated Bilawal.
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Khaled Jan 30, 2018 07:59pm
More than their eloquence in English ,both Hina and Bilawal were full of confidence in their respective talk show, three cheers for the young and upcoming leaders, hope we have more of them. Its high time the senior citizens said goodbye to politics.
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Sami Jan 30, 2018 08:08pm
I thought Bilawal was more than fluent and eloquent. It is true that he is more comfortable with English... so be it! Solely comparing language skills and nothing more... so was the Quaid.
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Reality Bites Jan 30, 2018 08:21pm
It's his progressive way of thinking and refinement of speech that is impressive not the english language only. How to talk to an international audience is half the game.
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Khaled Jan 30, 2018 08:26pm
@Asad very true
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ahamed Jan 30, 2018 08:33pm
@nisar He has a mind of his own. Has the knowledge of what the Bhuttos stood for, what Pakistanis need and what they did not like about his father. He seems to be level headed and not arrogant. Give him a chance to prove. He also needs love of Pakistanis.
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VOICEOFREASON Jan 30, 2018 08:37pm
I hope not. It sounds pathetic.
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905 745 2214 Jan 30, 2018 08:37pm
I think it is not that we appreciate English as a language or we are so impressed with it that we want to give weight age to an English interview versus an Urdu one. it is rather the global messaging which acquires a wider reach that English interviews are more appreciated and shared on social media.
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F S Jan 30, 2018 08:50pm
In public realm presentation and fluency matters no matter what language. If he was fluent in Urdu, same message would have gotten public attention. It's how it is in a reading class where a kid who reads fluently gets a better grade than a kid who doesn't although both are reading from the same book.
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Kashif abbasi Jan 30, 2018 08:56pm
He talked sense and mixed his words well to reply professionally. His command is english or his british accent has nothing to do with it. Pervez musharraf is also hailed high regarding his response amd discussions with foreign media; although he has a pure pakistani accent.
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N Iqbal Jan 30, 2018 09:13pm
His English helps him to communicate better at international level. However, his competence of speaking Urdu is dire and needs to improve. No wonder, his public speeches in Urdu are like watching a child reading an Urdu text first time. As they say, you cannot lead & represent people unless you can communicate with them in their own language. In Bilawal's case, he is not there yet.
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nasr Jan 30, 2018 09:16pm
It was good English plus at that moment the correct mind!
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Nisi Jan 30, 2018 09:23pm
feeling petty for author who misunderstood the praise of Billawal Bhutto he is being praised and appreciated because of his maturity and progressive thinking as compare to his age and very little political career which lacks in any other politician of Pakistan.
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saif Jan 30, 2018 09:24pm
No, it was not English but the substances in his talk. Beside all baggage he has of Zardari, it was very impressive and mature display of statesmanship.
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Rev. Eldrick Lal Jan 30, 2018 11:02pm
I would personally like to see young generation in the politics with their brilliant ideas.
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Vijay B. Jan 31, 2018 12:08am
@syed wasim haider Oh really? I have never been impressed by the eloquence or the substance of the oratory of ZAB, or any of the others you have listed, including Bilawal.
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muhibbewatan Jan 31, 2018 12:42am
There seems to be an air of arrogance vis-a-vis our national language URDU. NO OFFENCE. If only one can perceive the importance of learning & conversing in English language in these modern times when it (English) has become the medium of communication generally among the global community. Well, the Pakistani public must act fast in order to catch up with the rest of the world in terms of common medium of communication and collaboration rather than wait for a 'shot in the arm' before it's too late.
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Adeel Jan 31, 2018 01:22am
It is not about good English. Look at the political outlook in Pakistan...and the politicians representing Pakistan internationally. 99% of them don’t even dare to talk directly to foreign media. And the ones who do have no depth and brings nothing but national embarrassment (remember Yusuf Raza Gilani’s ‘whos stopping them to leave the country’ and NS reading from his written notes and still sweating). So yes when you see someone talking positively about the country with an iota of reasoning, we do get impressed! It’s not about English.
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Ahmad Jan 31, 2018 02:02am
I believe it is more to do with presenting our image better in front of West rather than preference of English over Urdu. The whole world considers us backward and ignorant, right or wrong, so we are all trying to change the perception. And unfortunately perception is reality in most of the cases.
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Zubaida Khan Jan 31, 2018 02:24am
Bilawal spoke very well. He has a good grasp of the issues. He spoke better than IK. Which is surprising.
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Sohail Jan 31, 2018 02:40am
You underestimate the importance of crisp articulation and good communication especially in English considering the global audience. I have yet to hear a Pakistani leader (political or otherwise) with excellent English communication skills. Bilawal was indeed very good.
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Gully Jan 31, 2018 07:30am
This time, he knew what he was taking and made sense
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Zaidi Jan 31, 2018 10:20am
@a Thank you, I would have liked to said this myself.
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Mumtaz Hussain Jan 31, 2018 11:10am
I agree on this, that we Pakistani are easily empresses with English but my humble opinion is that people raise him no merely because we prefer English over Urdu but his fluency in Urdu as well. People, including me, thought he is dumb guys who know nothing about Pakistan but his talk in English proved otherwise.
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Ahmed Raza Jan 31, 2018 11:13am
English used in this article is also very good. I dont know when we will come out of this self structured inferiority complex of "good English"
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Zo Jan 31, 2018 12:27pm
Honestly, we should applaud the fact that he has an awareness. For sure, he is very inexperienced and we are not sure about how he is going to tackle all of these issues, but he is speaking about these issues, and for a start, it is promising.
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Ubaid Jan 31, 2018 12:40pm
@Alanore for him it's English, he may not even know a word of sindhi.
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K Khan US Jan 31, 2018 02:47pm
The most pertinent issue is "Can the passage of one generation dry-clean all the plundered national wealth stolen by one's parents!"
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N abidi Jan 31, 2018 09:17pm
If people of Pakistan given good education which is the responsibility of the state,every one in Pakistan should be taught English with grade one, you will get future leader ,who will be speaking fluent English , plus, living with masses in Pakistan ,will have better understanding of what the needs of Pakistani are,reality check!
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ummara tariq Feb 02, 2018 04:26pm
very good bilawal ....
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N abidai Aug 18, 2018 09:30pm
Speaking a second language ,in Bilwal case Urdu fluently will be good to,because 84% of Pakistani are with out education, they could not appreciate his first language English !
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nasr Aug 19, 2018 01:32am
It is simple his thoughts are better organized and better delivered in Urdu.
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