Abdul Bari Jahani, Afghanistan’s former Minister of Information and Culture and the poet of the country’s national anthem, has warned about the consequences of fueling linguistic divisions for unity and solidarity among Afghanistan’s ethnic groups, amid growing debate over the status of Pashto and Persian/Dari.
Mr. Jahani said that language should not become a factor that creates division among the people of Afghanistan, warning that fueling linguistic sensitivities could harm social unity and solidarity among the country’s ethnic groups.
Referring to Afghanistan’s 2004 Constitution, he emphasized that Pashto and “Dari” were recognized as official state languages, and that no language was designated as a “national language.”
Under Article 16 of the 2004 Constitution, Pashto and Dari were the official languages of the state of Afghanistan. In areas where the majority of people spoke Uzbeki, Turkmen, Balochi, Pashayi, Nuristani, or Pamiri, the respective language could be used alongside the official languages as a third official language.
Jahani also emphasized the importance of preserving the status of and respecting Afghanistan’s diverse languages, and called for preventing linguistic issues from becoming sources of division and conflict among the country’s ethnic groups.
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