Some journalists working in media outlets controlled by the Taliban have complained about discriminatory treatment toward the Persian language. They state that some media managers, driven by a desire to curry favor with the Taliban and linguistic biases, have used the group’s name to justify efforts to eliminate Persian words. These journalists highlight instances such as the removal of university signboards written in Persian and the prohibition of Persian terms in educational and academic institutions, emphasizing that such actions have created opportunities for misuse by individuals outside the Taliban’s official structure.
Zahra (pseudonym), a journalist who worked at a local media outlet, said: “After the Taliban took control, the use of certain words deemed sensitive by the group was banned. There was constant emphasis on avoiding these words and using Pashto equivalents instead.”
She added: “In the media outlet where I worked, such sensitivities did not exist before the Taliban’s takeover, but after their dominance, linguistic discrimination and overt pressures in this regard became noticeable.”
Zahra noted: “At the media outlet where I worked, we were forced to comply with their rules. If a journalist used the Persian term ‘Danisgah’ for university instead of ‘Pohantoon’ in a report, the report would not be broadcast. I witnessed several such reports being shelved.”
Omar (pseudonym), another journalist, said that in some cases, Taliban authorities are sensitive about the use of certain words and advise media managers to avoid them. He added: “They [the Taliban] believe these words are Persian-Iranian and differ from the Persian language of Afghanistan which they have named Dari, a claim I find unscientific.”
This journalist warned that if such restrictions persist, they could impact the general public’s perception of the Persian language and lead to its systematic elimination.
Mahnaz (pseudonym), another journalist, criticized some officials in local media outlets, stating that after the prohibition of certain words, these individuals exploited the directives and implemented them in line with their preferences, even taking pride in doing so.
She added: “Although the Taliban had banned a limited number of words, these individuals [managers and some of their associates] constantly pressured us to avoid using this or that word to prevent sensitivities or the suspension of our media activities. I viewed their selective Persian word choice as an attempt to alter the Persian language.”
Meanwhile, recent reports have emerged about restrictions on the use of Persian in official correspondence within government institutions controlled by the Taliban. According to these reports, the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior has ordered that all correspondence in all provinces, except Badakhshan and Bamyan, be conducted in Pashto.
Naseer Ahmad Faiq, acting head of Afghanistan’s permanent mission to the United Nations, reacting to the Taliban’s policies on restricting the Persian language, stated that the group is ignorant of Persian. He emphasized that many Taliban members were educated in madrasas in Pakistan in Urdu and Pashto, and lack familiarity with Persian.
Following the publication of these reports, Abdul Mateen Qani, spokesperson for the Taliban’s Ministry of Interior, claimed that administrative correspondence in the ministry is conducted in both Persian and Pashto.
However, findings from an investigative report by the Hasht-e Subh Daily indicate that Osama Aziz, the Taliban-appointed president of Kabul University, has converted all documents, regulations, and correspondence previously prepared in Persian to Pashto.
According to the findings of an investigative report by the Hasht-e Subh Daily, the Taliban have banned the use of the Persian words “Danishjo” for student and “Danishgah” for university in Takhar province. Additionally, approximately 17 employees of this institution were sacked or demoted for using Persian terms.
Persian-speaking communities have repeatedly accused the Taliban of linguistic discrimination and the systematic elimination of Persian from official structures since their takeover. They argue that the Taliban lack familiarity with the culture and Persian language of the people of Afghanistan, noting that many senior Taliban officials even require translators, despite Persian being the official and shared language of all citizens of Afghanistan.
You can read the Persian version of this report here:
