Anti-Persian Sentiment in Afghan Universities has a long history. For many years, animosity towards Persians has been preserved under the guise of “national terminology” in various forms. Even under the pretext of preserving these terms, Persian books have been thrown into the seas by the former government’s Ministry of Information and Culture. However, the Taliban claim to enforce “pure Islamic Sharia” and assert that there is no difference between languages and ethnicities in their regime, while officially issuing orders banning the use of Persian words for their native speakers. Amidst this, the Taliban leadership at Takhar University has been repeatedly accused of anti-Persian policies and the dismissal of non-Pashtun staff in recent months. Documents obtained from Takhar University, as reported by the Hasht-e Subh Daily, indicate that the Taliban have declared terms like “Danishjo (Student)” and “Danishgah (university)” invalid. Additionally, approximately 17 staff members have been fired from the university, and replaced by individuals affiliated with the Taliban.
Sources within Takhār University suggest that the Taliban chancellor at this academic institution is fueling linguistic and ethnic disputes. According to these sources, Kamāluddīn Munīb, the Taliban chancellor for Takhār University, has ordered that the institution’s documents be converted from Persian to Pashto and that no one is allowed to use Persian words such as “Danishgah (University),” “Danishkada (faculty),” and “Danishjo (student).” He recently dismissed more than 17 employees of this institution and replaced them with his affiliates.
Documents obtained by the Hasht-e Subh Daily indicate that he has rejected or invalidated the application papers of graduates who have used Persian words such as “Danishjo” and “Danishgah” to obtain their diplomas.
The Hasht-e Subh Daily has examined the applications of at least three graduates who have applied for diplomas from Takhar University, and it has been observed in these letters that, along with the formal remarks of this group officials, the word “Danishgah (university)” has been crossed out, and some of them have been declared void.
On the other hand, another document obtained by the Hasht-e Subh Daily indicates that this Taliban official has issued dismissals and replacements for more than 10 employees of this educational institution, hiring individuals belonging to the Pashtun ethnic group, who are close relatives or affiliates of his own.
According to the directive of this Taliban official, Abdul Qadir Ziyaie, the General Officer of the Office of the Presidency of Takhar University, has been demoted and appointed as the Executive Director of the Faculty of Education and Training, while Ubaidullah Shahzad, the Financial and Accounting Officer, has been demoted from his position and assigned as the Budget Manager in the fourth tier position in the administration.
As per his orders, Mohammad Zaman Mohammadi, the Officer of Services and Procurement, has been demoted from the third-tier position to the fourth-tier position as the Procurement Manager, and Habibullah Hakimi, the General Recruitment Manager, has been demoted from the fourth-tier position to the fifth-tier position as the Manager of the Magazine. According to sources, these demotions were carried out based on ethnicity, and individuals affiliated with the Pashtun ethnic group have been hired in their place.
The Chancellor of the Taliban has continued to dismiss Mirza Mohammad Noori, the general manager of the university dormitory, and Samira Dalawarzad, the general budget manager of the university, from their positions in the fourth and third tier positions of the university’s general management, respectively. Instead, individuals from the Pashtun ethnic group have been hired to replace the dismissed staff members.
Simultaneously with this proposal, a formal letter from the Ministry of Higher Education under Taliban control has announced the transfer, appointment, and dismissal of 17 individuals. In an official letter sent from the Ministry of Higher Education under Taliban control to Takhar University, it has been noted that the transfer and dismissal of 17 employees of the civil service of this institution are highlighted.
The head of the Human Resources Department of the Ministry of Higher Education under Taliban control has written to Takhar University in letter number 3858/4134, stating: “Attached herewith is a copy of proposal number 1069-1061 dated 1/7/1445 (January 13, 2024), adorned with the provisions recorded under registration numbers 6698-66870 dated 14/7/1445 (January 26, 2024), regarding the esteemed ministry’s decision on the transfer and dismissal of 17 civil service employees. Please continue as directed.”
Furthermore, sources at Takhar University state that, due to pressures from Kamaluddin Munib, the Taliban Chancellor for Takhar University, two professors have resigned. Doorafshan Jaihoon Fetrat and Sarwar Surosh were among the professors at Takhar University who were forced to resign due to the improper conduct of this Taliban authority.
Who is Kamaluddin Munib and how does he treat employees?
Kamaluddin Munib is the Taliban-appointed chancellor of Takhar University. He hails from the village of Tabra Kash in the Gur Tepa district of Kunduz province. Sources describe him as an “illiterate Mullah” and the principal resident of Kandahar, who resided as a “settler” in Kunduz province.
This local Taliban figure was an imam in one of the mosques in Kunduz province during the previous government and studied at the “Darul Uloom Islamiyah Nowshahrawan” in Karachi, Pakistan. After the return of the Taliban to power in Afghanistan, he served as a teacher in the jihad school of Kunduz for eight months and later assumed the position of Chancellor at Takhar University.
Sources at Takhar University report that Kamaluddin Munib behaves inappropriately with employees and professors, employing “coarse words” that have led to the resignation of two professors.
These sources further claim that last week, when he was heading from his home to Takhar University, his vehicle was moving against the traffic and collided with a passenger van of the Corolla type. According to sources, four occupants of the Corolla sustained injuries, and one of them lost their life.
These sources emphasize that Taliban military authorities have shown no attention to the incident’s perpetrators, and this local Taliban figure has used armed force to silence the injured and the survivors of the deceased, taking “consent” by force.
This comes as he previously officially issued a document titled “Non-use of Foreign Terms and Words in Correspondences and Documents,” a copy of which was obtained by the Hasht-e Subh Daily, instructing all faculties to refrain from using Persian language words.
The document reads: “Hereafter, all administrations are directed not to use foreign words such as (Danishgah (university), Danishkada (faculty), etc.) foreign words, phrases, and expressions that weaken our national culture in transcripts, diplomas, certificates, etc.”
Sources at Takhar University are complaining about the Taliban authorities’ “anti-Persian” stance. Previously, the Ministry of Higher Education under Taliban control had issued a seven-article document to university professors and academic staff, urging them not to use the Persian words “Daadgah (court), Daadsitani (prosecutor’s office), Danishjo (student), Danishgah (university), and Danishkada (faculty)” in their academic works, research, writings, and translations.
Since gaining control of Afghanistan, the Taliban have been repeatedly accused of “anti-Persian” policies, sparking numerous reactions in the media and on social networks. The group has changed the signage of several universities in the country from Persian to Pashto, where the majority of residents are Persian speakers.
The Taliban have previously removed pictures of kings, poets, and historical figures of the Persian language and literature from the “Diwar-e Farhikhtagan (Wall of Elites)” in Mazar-i-Sharif, the capital of Balkh province, and instead installed flags and slogans in support of the group.
The Taliban-controlled Ministry of Higher Education has also issued orders to purge university libraries across the country. In letter number 2044 dated 28/4/1445 (November 12, 2023), it is stated that all institutions are instructed to “purify” university libraries. According to this directive, books related to Salafis, writers, Shiites, political parties, and opponents of this group are to be removed, and in their place, books on the Prophet’s biography should be rearranged.
Why are mullahs appointed as university presidents?
Over the past two and a half years, the Taliban have appointed dozens of mullahs and fighters of this group as presidents of universities, which are the most prestigious academic institutions in the country. Many professors at universities have resigned and left Afghanistan due to the pressures and unprofessional behavior of this group. Currently, dozens of academic institutions in the country are managed by mullahs affiliated with the Taliban who have no scientific or specialized experience, while many prominent academic staff members are engaged in research and teaching at universities.
Concerns about the appointment of Taliban fighters in educational institutions have risen, especially since previously, Neda Mohammad Nadeem, the acting head of the Taliban-controlled Ministry of Higher Education, in Herat province, stated that the academic degree of a Taliban fighter should be calculated based on the number of landmines he has laid. He described the confirmation of academic rank for individuals affiliated with the Taliban as “disrespect to religious scholars” and stated that the academic degree of a “Taliban mujahid” should be calculated based on the number of landmine placements.
This Taliban leader still considers sending girls and women to universities as “dishonorable” and has stated that if they wanted prosperity, they would have surrendered Osama bin Laden, the former leader of al-Qaeda, to the United States in their initial regime. Nadeem had previously prevented about 500 students from going to Russia. He told the students, “You go as Muslims and return as communists.”
Furthermore, the Taliban-controlled Ministry of Higher Education has confiscated some private universities that have had politically active founders. This group has also confiscated private universities like Rahnaward, Rah-e-Saadat, and Taaj in Mazar-e-Sharif, the center of Balkh province, due to the political activities of their founders, and all incomes of these private universities are redirected to the treasury of the Taliban.
The Taliban’s dismissal and transfer in government institutions are not limited to universities alone; this group has also initiated purges in other government departments. Earlier, the Hasht-e Subh Daily found in an investigative report that 379 employees and workers of the Afghanistan Oil & Gas Corporation (AOGC) had been dismissed by the Taliban and replaced by individuals affiliated with the Taliban.
Moreover, this group continues to dismiss employees of the previous government, including directors and managers of key departments, and appoints new individuals affiliated with themselves in various government offices in the capital and provinces.
