ISLAMABAD: The initial work on creation of first-ever Urdu Digital Dictionary is near completion and it is likely to be available for the users till May 2017.
"The first phase of creation of the Urdu Digital Dictionary and making it available on internet for the users will be completed by May 20 this year" Aqeel Abbas Jafari, Chief Editor, Urdu Dictionary Board, Karachi revealed this while talking to APP.
"The initiative of launching first-ever Urdu Digital Dictionary will serve as milestone toward preservation and promotion of Urdu language which is our national language", Aqeel Abbas Jaffari said.
The initial phase of the project is being executed with an amount of Rs.13 million by Urdu Dictionary Board-the department which is working under the supervision of National History and Literary Heritage (NHLH) Division.
The task of creating first-ever Urdu Dictionary was given to Urdu Dictionary Board after which the work was started under the supervision of Advisor to Prime Minister on NHLH, Irfan Siddiqui.
Aqeel Abbas Jaffari said Urdu Digital Dictionary will be created on modern lines with Nastaleeq Font so that readers can have access to the latest collection of words in standardized font through internet.
This dictionary will comprise over 22 volumes and will enable the users to check meanings, synonyms and antonyms of the word in the first phase.
While during the second phase of the project, the readers will be given facility to check sound and pronunciation of a word through the internet, he said.
Aqeel Abbas Jafari said that the board was given full patronage and support from the Advisor to Prime Minister, Irfan Siddiqui in execution of this project as part of the government' efforts to implement Urdu as an official language. (APP)