Taliban pledges not to impose restrictions on Uzbek Language

Earlier, it was reported that Afghanistan’s Taliban-led interim government had removed Uzbek-language inscriptions from the facade of Samangan University, located in the country’s north where a large Uzbek population resides, prompting public backlash. On January 6, the Taliban pledged that no restrictions would be imposed on the use of the Uzbek language in the country’s northern regions, including at Samangan University. The announcement was made by Akhror Burkhanov, spokesperson for Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

According to Burkhanov, responsible representatives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs promptly contacted Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to clarify the situation surrounding issues related to the Uzbek language. Afghan officials strongly emphasized that the reports were “not true” and stated that there are no restrictions on the use of the Uzbek language in the country. They also stressed that the Afghan government and people hold deep respect for the Uzbek people and their language.

“According to an official representative of Afghanistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, work is currently underway across the country to standardize inscriptions on the facades of higher education institutions and general education schools. Under this practice, signage at educational institutions will be displayed nationwide in three languages: Pashto, Dari, and English. At the same time, as an exception for the northern regions, including Samangan University, it has been decided that inscriptions will be presented in Pashto, Dari, and Uzbek,” Burkhanov said.

He also noted that as a sign of good neighborliness, mutual trust, and friendly relations, the Afghan government is planning, for the first time in history, to establish a Faculty of Uzbek Language and Literature at Jowzjan State University at the master’s level starting this year.

It is worth noting that on January 5, Uzbekistan’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs issued a statement on the situation in Afghanistan, saying that any restrictions on the Uzbek language were causing serious concern within the ministry.