Collaborative efforts stressed to save local languages in AJK, GB.

MUZAFFARABAD -- Speakers at a ceremony held here at the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir (UAJK) on Wednesday stressed the need for making collaborative efforts to save the endangered vernaculars being spoken in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) and Gilgit-Baltistan (GB).

Addressing the concluding ceremony of a project implemented to build the capacity of public sector Universities of AJK and GB in Language Documentation at City Campus of the UAJK, the speakers highlighted that dozens of local and regional languages in AJK and GB are facing imminent threat of extinction.

The project funded by US Government was implemented by the University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir in partnership with San Jose State University, California, USA was aimed to strengthen the capabilities of Public sector Universities of AJK and GB in language documentation. The United States Educational Foundation in Pakistan (USEFP) conducted the project.

Speaking on the occasion as chief guest Secretary Kashmir Cause, Arts and Languages, Registrar University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir Prof. Dr. Ayesha Sohail, Project Director Dr. Abdul Qadir Khan and others asserted that regional languages are facing extreme threats and are at the verge of annihilation.

'We must take solid steps to preserve the dying languages that carrying with them the centuries-old history, civilization, and culture of the region'. They added.

Sharing salient features and success stories of the project, the Director, Prof. Dr. Abdul Qadir Khan told the participants that under this program, training was...