Afghanistan’s Ministry of Higher Education in a letter has warned university lecturers to avoid criticizing the Taliban regime in their research work, sources reported.
In the letter, it is stressed that university lecturers should have a good command of both national languages (Farsi and Pashto) and utilize national terminologies rather than using terms that are alien to Afghan people and culture.
The letter contains seven decrees about research and translation, sent by Hamidullah Muzamal, the head of the research and translation department of the Ministry of Higher Education of the Taliban on May 27.
Muzamal has clearly said that university lecturers should defend the ruling regime and refrain from criticizing or speaking against Taliban officials to avoid possible problems.
It is also stated that lecturers and researchers should avoid using alien terms in their writes ups, adding the country has common expressions for these words.
Banning the use of the term “Danishgah” which has a Farsi root, which translates university in English has repeatedly sparked widespread reactions in universities and media in Afghanistan.
While describing the term “Danishgah” as foreign, the officials have banned using the term. The former government officials and the Taliban did not have sensitivity towards non-Persian words such as Urdu and English.
Previously, the Taliban authorities repeatedly removed Farsi words from official plaques of universities in different parts of the country.
Some critics of the Taliban administration describe the move as a clear anti-Farsi language campaign that will further widen the gap among the people of Afghanistan who are ethnically and linguistically very diverse.
