MUZAFFARABAD: Around 50 experts, including a few foreigners, presented their papers on the first day of the second `Kashmir international conference on linguistics` here on Monday.

The two-day conference is being organised by the Department of English and Institute of Languages, University of Azad Jammu and Kashmir.

AJK Chief Secretary Abid Ali Khan was the chief guest of the opening ceremony, which was presided over by UAJK vice chancellor Dr Syed Dilnawaz Ahmed Gardezi.

Speaking on the occasion, Mr Khan appreciated the theme of the conference, terming it an important indicator of social evolution and diversity.

`Languages reflect the culture and civilisation of any country and such type of programmesmust be held on a regular basis to promote and preserve the endangered languages.

He said it was heartening to note that the UAJK was carrying out academic and research activities in a commendable manner.

Vice chancellor Gardezi said the university had been concentrating on promoting academic and research activities. He expressed the hope that the conference would not only help in documentation and revival of the endangered languages of the region but would also throw open new horizons of research.

`The conference has provided a forum to the delegates from both parts of the divided state of Jammu and Kashmir to come together and share their research skills and findings, paving the way to promote interaction and collaboration between the two sides,` he said.

Dr Nadeem Haider Bukhari, Dean Faculty of Arts and chief organiser of the event, added: `The conference is part of the earnest efforts of our institution to preserve and promote locallanguages, especially the endangered ones.

Mamiya-Komaki Kensaku, associate professor at the Tokyo University of Foreign Studies, said he was happy to be among the participants of the conference.

`It`s a good initiative. Such conferences can help us preserve the dwindling languages,` he told Dawn.

Prof Omkar N Koul, a Kashmiri Pandit settled in New Delhi, said regional languages were facing a threat not only in Pakistan and India but in the whole South Asian region.

`Experts from the whole region need to sit together to suggest measures to stop the extinetion of regional languages,` said Mr Koul.

Attiqur Rehman Abbasi, one of the organisers, said foreign linguists included two each from USA, UK and Japan, one each from Sweden, India and India-held Kashmir.

AJK President Sardar Mohammad Yaqoob Khan would be the chief guest at the concluding ceremony, he said.