Taliban Bans Persian Language in Government Correspondence
Taliban Bans Persian Language in Government Correspondence
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In a move that has sparked widespread concern and condemnation, Afghanistan’s Taliban-led Ministry of Interior has issued a directive banning the use of the Persian language (Dari) in official correspondence across most government institutions. The decision, announced on Saturday, July 11, 2025, must be enforced within 48 hours of its issuance.
According to an official document signed by Mufti Mohammad Salem Abrat, Director General of the Inspection Department at the ministry, all government employees are now required to prepare reports and official communications exclusively in Pashto. The only exceptions are the provinces of Badakhshan, Bamiyan, and Panjshir, which have Persian-speaking majorities.
The abrupt directive is seen as a clear violation of Afghanistan’s 2003 Constitution, which recognizes both Pashto and Persian (Dari) as official state languages and guarantees their use in administrative and governmental affairs.
Sources inside the Ministry of Interior reported that the order has caused panic among employees whose mother tongue is Persian. Many fear losing their jobs or facing administrative penalties if they fail to comply.
Rights advocates and cultural figures have condemned the decision, describing it as a deliberate attempt to marginalize a fundamental linguistic and cultural component of Afghanistan’s national identity. They warned that enforcing Pashto as the sole language for official communication risks stoking ethnic and linguistic tensions and undermining the country’s fragile pluralism and social cohesion.
Writers, intellectuals, and social media users have called for the immediate reversal of the ban, emphasizing that Afghanistan’s linguistic diversity should be protected as a source of national strength rather than treated as a threat. They cautioned that any form of linguistic discrimination could further fragment the country’s social fabric and deepen internal conflicts.
