Several Persian-speaking employees in government offices in the country have raised complaints about language discrimination by their superiors, many of whom are affiliated with the Taliban. They claim that their job security is jeopardized due to linguistic discrimination and that they could be dismissed at any time by the Taliban. These long-serving government employees note that key government positions, now predominantly controlled by Pashto-speaking Taliban, frequently pressure Persian-speaking employees to leave their jobs. Imposing ethnic and religious customs, such as wearing a cap, growing a beard, compulsory prayer attendance, forced Pashto communication, denial of essential leave, and excessive strictness, are some of the challenges specifically imposed on Persian-speaking employees. These government employees add that the poor economic conditions force them to endure all these pressures to keep their jobs, as their livelihoods depend on their government salaries, and they have no other means of survival in the current crisis if they lose their jobs.
Mohammad (pseudonym) is an employee of the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior. He was hired in the administrative section of this ministry in 2015, during the Republic era, and continues to work there now. Mohammad told the Hasht-e Subh Daily, “I am from Kabul and had never worn a cap or grown a beard from my youth until the Taliban came to power. Since the government changed, I have been forced by ministry officials to grow a beard, wear a cap, and speak Pashto instead of my mother tongue to avoid discrimination.”
He further adds, “No one has explicitly told me not to speak Persian, but the looks and interactions of officials with me and my Persian-speaking colleagues are not like those with Pashto-speaking employees. From the friendliness, jokes, and conversations of the supervisor and manager, I understand that they treat me like a slow, foreign, and incompetent employee. I have been working in this section for nine years, and I am always afraid of being dismissed.”
Siddiq (pseudonym), an administrative employee and a member of the audit committee in the Ministry of Education, says, “When I review purchased items, I try to have one of my Pashto-speaking colleagues with me to review and complete the forms together and both sign the notes to avoid the insulting behavior of our supervisor, who is a Taliban member.”
Siddiq, who is not very familiar with Pashto, adds that not only Persian speakers but even Pashto-speaking colleagues know that his and other non-Pashto-speaking employees’ jobs are at risk. He says, “Sometimes, jokingly, they tell me they have seen my dismissal letter. Although I know they are joking, seeing the situation, I know this joke will one day become a reality.”
Siddiq continues that when reporting to the supervisor and manager, he has to speak in Pashto, and they laugh at his way of speaking, trying their best to find a reason to present his report as incomplete: “Their behavior worsens my situation. I am forced; there is no work, and if I do not endure and resign, the same situation will prevail in any government office I go to.”
This government employee adds that even if an urgent matter arises, such as attending a funeral or participating in a memorial ceremony, it is difficult to get temporary leave from the office. According to him, the situation for Pashto-speaking employees, especially those affiliated with the Taliban, is different, and they face fewer restrictions.
These Persian-speaking government employees complain about their lack of job security, as the Taliban have previously dismissed a significant percentage of government employees and replaced them with their people.
Ahmad (pseudonym), a former employee of the National Directorate of Security (NDS) in Kabul, told the Hasht-e Subh Daily, “Three months after the fall, the directorate called me and said to come to work as usual, and we have nothing to do with you. [you won’t get harmed]; your salary will be sent. I went to work with fear and anxiety. The Taliban introduced someone to me and told me to teach him the job. I taught him the job for three months, and finally, they dismissed me and appointed the person who learned the job from me in my place.”
This situation has prevailed not only in the National Directorate of Security but also in most government offices. Currently, Taliban members are being trained in Kabul and other provinces to be appointed to government offices.
The Taliban’s language discrimination has repeatedly drawn criticism from citizens and political and religious figures. Tahir Zuhair, the former governor of Bamyan province who is now abroad, has recently criticized the Taliban’s linguistic, ethnic, and religious discrimination against other ethnic groups. In a note on the X (formerly Twitter) platform, he wrote, “What is happening in the country today is the cultivation of hatred. Humiliating and insulting people because of their language, religion, and ethnicity stems from hatred.” According to him, the Taliban, through their actions and words, insult and humiliate speakers of non-Pashto languages.
All this is happening while, before the Taliban regime came to power in August 2021, most government employees shaved their beards and usually attended their duties in suits. However, after taking control of the country, the Taliban ordered government employees to grow beards, wear traditional clothes, avoid wearing suits, and even if they are not praying, be present in the mosque during prayer times.
In some government institutions, including the Directorate of Kabul Public Health, attendance is taken during noon prayers, and if an employee is absent, they must explain the reason for their absence from prayer to their supervisor and endure the Taliban’s insulting advice. A large group of Persian-speaking government employees consider wearing a cap a cultural practice associated with Pashtuns and note that they are forced to accept this culture to keep their jobs. Currently, all administrative powers in government offices are in the hands of the Taliban. According to a report by the Middle East Research Institute (MERI), over 90% of Taliban leaders, officials, and members are from the Pashtun ethnic group. Details of this report indicate that in the Taliban regime’s structure, only 5% are Uzbeks, 3% are Tajiks, and half a percent are Hazaras. Non-Pashtuns in the Taliban system are engaged in middle and lower-level government jobs and have no decision-making authority.
You can read the Persian version of this daily report here:
طالبان و تعصب زبانی؛ کارمندان فارسیزبان ادارههای دولتی امنیت شغلی ندارند | روزنامه ۸صبح
