According to Iraf, Afghan writer Mehran Mowahhed, referring to the historical role of Persian in Afghanistan, stated: “The inhabitants of Afghanistan, despite belonging to diverse ethnic groups, predominantly use Persian in their interethnic communications.” He described this as evidence of the deeply rooted and historical status of Persian as the country’s common language.
The Afghan writer further emphasized that over the past century, numerous policies and programs have been pursued to weaken the position of Persian in both political and cultural spheres. According to him, although these efforts have not resulted in the complete elimination of Persian, they have nonetheless destabilized the language’s standing.
Mowahhed stressed that Persian is currently experiencing “the most difficult period in its history” in Afghanistan, noting that it is not unlikely for the language policies of ruling authorities, in the long run, to further weaken the traditional role of Persian.
He warned: “If Pashto becomes the intermediary language, it will naturally lead many intellectuals and writers to adopt Pashto in order to reach a broader audience.”
Mowahhed further underscored that governmental policies have always played a decisive role in either strengthening or weakening languages. He added that the gradual marginalization of Persian would deprive Afghan society of a significant part of its cultural and literary heritage.
