Veteran Pakistani actor Faysal Qureshi has stirred a passionate and long-overdue conversation across Pakistan after making a heartfelt public appeal to the country’s cricketers, please speak Urdu, and be proud of your national language.
Speaking during his currently airing show on a private television channel, Faysal’s video clip quickly went viral on social media, showing him discussing the deep importance of the mother tongue and directly addressing Pakistani cricketers, telling them he wants them to speak Urdu and take real pride in it.
He brought up the examples of footballing legends Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, pointing out that neither of these globally celebrated superstars is ever seen unnecessarily switching to English during interviews or press conferences. They speak in their own language, Portuguese and Spanish, respectively, with translators provided for international audiences when needed.
Faysal emphasised clearly that there is absolutely nothing wrong with not knowing English, since it is not Pakistan’s mother tongue. What matters, he said, is that Pakistanis feel proud of Urdu, the language that unites a nation of over 230 million people across dozens of regions and ethnicities.
His message struck a deep chord with ordinary Pakistanis who have long felt uncomfortable watching their cricket heroes stumble through English interviews when Urdu would have been far more natural, confident, and dignified.
Faysal Qureshi was born on 26 October 1973 in Lahore and has built one of the most celebrated and enduring careers in Pakistani television history, receiving more than 20 nationally recognised awards throughout his decades-long journey in the industry.
