Pakistan Data Management System (PDMS) develops software for Urdu websites
ISLAMABAD- Data Management Systems (PDMS) has developed the software to be used in the training and the subsequent development of Urdu websites. Now it is possible to create Urdu websites on Internet and there is a need to promote and develop web pages of Pakistani origin.
Realizing the paucity of local content on Internet, especially in Urdu and other Pakistani languages, serious-minded individuals and organizations have started making efforts to promote designing and hosting of Urdu websites.
English is by far the commonest medium of communication on Internet. Since it is an international language, most people choose to use it. The present government has provided Internet access to more than 320 cities, towns and villages and the development of Urdu websites will go a long way enabling the Urdu literate individuals to benefit from it.
Towards this end, Sustainable Development Networking Programme (SDNP), a project of UNDP managed by IUCN – the World Conservation Union, in Pakistan has taken an important step forward.
In collaboration with the National College of the Arts (NCA), it is organizing the first workshop on “Urdu Web Authoring” learning how to publish in Urdu on Internet – to be conducted at NCA, Lahore on February 21 and 22, 2001. About 10 organizations, including NCA, Council of Social Sciences (COSS), Social Action Programme (SAP), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Punjabi Adbi Board, and Punjab Lok Sudag will participate in this training workshop.
In the coming months, the SDNP will organize a series of such workshops in other major cities of Pakistan. Previously there was no such standard, and software houses created on their own. Hopefully, all Urdu softwares, from now on, will conform to this standard and achieve the same level inter-operability that “we are used to in the English language.” SDNP has already created a web gateway for all significant development information about Pakistan (www.sndpk.org).
Under this programme, funded by UNDP, more than 170 development organization, including a third from the government, have been trained to set up and maintain their websites. This is in addition to thousands of other websites and Internet resources that have been indexed for this Pakistan Development Gateway (PDG).
Plans are underway to establish a similar gateway in Urdu as well, so that a larger number of Pakistan here and abroad will have access to the latest development news and information in a language that they can easily understand.
Source: Dawn
Date:2/21/2001
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