ISLAMABAD: Language activists, poets and community representatives from north Pakistan, including Gilgit-Baltistan (GB), Chitral, Indus and Dir Kohistan as well as South Waziristan gathered in the federal capital on Monday for a dialogue on safeguarding the endangered indigenous languages of the secluded mountainous regions.

Organised by the Forum for Language Initiatives (FLI), the event underscored the urgent need to protect over a dozen marginalised languages, including Shina, Balti, Khowar, Burushaski, Yadgha, Dameli, Palula, Kateviri, Kalkoti, Bateri, Indus Kohistani, Kohistani Shina, Gawri, Gawarbati, Ormuri, Domaaki/Dawoodi and Wakhi.

Some of them face existential threats from urbanisation, state neglect, resources and dominant languages.

Participants highlighted systemic hurdles, including the absence of institutional support, youth migration to cities and cultural stigmatisation.

Nasir Mansur, representing the Keteviri language (spoken by 6,000 people), noted how border conflicts and lack of documentation exacerbate vulnerability.

Similarly, Asmatullah, a Dameli activist, spoke about the status of the language spoken by 4,800 people in Arandu valley of Chitral on the Afghan border as well as 3,500 Diaspora living in different cities. He lamented the displacement of his community members due to economic pressures.

Despite challenges, grassroots initiatives offer hope. Dr Moeez Ahmed showcased progress in unifying Burushaski speakers in the Hunza, Nager and Yasin valleys of Gilgit-Baltistan by developing a Burushaski primer last year.

While Qazi Israruddin shared the challenges faced by 11,000 Palula speakers, the second largest language spoken in Chitral after Khowar. He mentioned a Sweden-supported dictionary developed by FLI and distributed in schools.

He stressed the need for scholarships for higher studies in the language and the deployment of PhD teachers in schools.

FLI’s Amir Haider emphasised capacity-building workshops for writers and digital content creation.

Social media emerged as a double-edged sword. Khowar activist Ata Hussain Athar celebrated its role in amplifying poetry and literature, with over 100 writers actively engaged online. However, concerns about misinformation prompted calls for ethical digital literacy programmes.

Significant milestones include Tufail Abbas’s campaign to include Shina in the national census - a move poised to legitimise the language spoken by over a million.

Meanwhile, FLI’s launch of Devaako Shloke (a Shina folktale collection) by Iram Jaffar and Yadgha musician Allaudin Haideri’s viral songs demonstrate art’s power in revitalising the language.

Nadir Khan spoke about the popularity of the Kalkoti language, an offshoot of Shina. About 16,000 people speak the language in upper Dir. Yet, stark disparities persist.

Meraj Hussain described the stigma haunting Domaaki/Dawoodi language speakers of musicians and artisans in Hunza while Musa Burhan’s Balti poetry mourned youth preferring Urdu over their mother tongue.

FLI Executive Director Fakhruddin Akhundzada, Ejaz Ahmed, Amir Haider and Naseem Haider outlined a five-year plan focusing on documentation, community-led workshops and religious leaders’ engagement to counter language-based discrimination.

The participants urged the government to fund scholarships for local linguists, integrate indigenous languages into school and university curricula and recognise linguistic diversity as a national asset.

The dialogue reaffirmed the resilience of linguistic communities inhabiting Himalayas, Hindu Kush and Karakoram Mountain ranges.

FLI Chairperson Rozi Khan Burki stated, “Pride in one’s language is pride in one’s identity.” While threats loom, collaborative efforts — bridging local activism, international partnerships, and policy advocacy — offer a path to ensure these ancient voices endure for generations.

Published in Dawn, February 26th, 2025