A group of prominent Pashtun intellectuals and cultural figures has called for unity over Afghanistan’s linguistic diversity, saying the country’s commonly spoken languages are all an integral part of its national culture.
The joint statement was issued by 10 prominent figures associated with Pashto language and literature, including Abdul Bari Jahani, Habibullah Rafi, Abdul Ghafur Liwal and Pir Mohammad Karwan.
The statement came in response to recent remarks by a Taliban official concerning the status of languages in Afghanistan. The signatories emphasized that the status of the country’s languages is defined by the constitution and warned against turning language into a source of conflict among Afghans.
The intellectuals argued that linguistic diversity should be viewed as part of Afghanistan’s cultural heritage rather than as a basis for division. They stressed that people speaking different languages should be able to coexist without their linguistic identities becoming a political or social point of contention.
The statement comes amid continued debate over language, identity and cultural representation in Afghanistan. Pashto and Dari are among the country’s major languages, while several other languages are also spoken by communities across different provinces.
The signatories called for a balanced approach toward Afghanistan’s linguistic communities and emphasized the importance of protecting the country’s diverse cultural heritage.
Their intervention highlights concerns that disputes over language could deepen existing social and political divisions. They maintained that language should serve as a means of cultural expression and communication rather than become another source of disagreement among Afghanistan’s people.