Rs20m released to preserve Urmari language

WANA: The government has released Rs20 million to preserve the Urmari language being spoken in South Waziristan for the last 1,000 years, sources said on Saturday. The Urmari language is mainly spoken in Kaniguram valley in South Waziristan and has an estimated 50,000 speakers only.

A linguist working for the promotion of the Urmari language welcomed the release of money and underscored the need for its judicious use. He said the local people should urge their children to speak the Urmari language to prevent it from becoming extinct. He feared the Urmari language would die down if efforts were not taken to preserve it.