8am: Some journalists working in media outlets controlled by the Taliban have complained about discriminatory treatment toward the Persian language. They state that some media managers, driven by a desire to curry favor with the Taliban and linguistic biases, have used the group’s name to justify efforts to eliminate Persian words. These journalists highlight instances such as the removal of university signboards written in Persian and the prohibition of Persian terms in educational and academic institutions, emphasizing that such actions have created opportunities for misuse by individuals outside the Taliban’s official structure. Zahra (pseudonym), a journalist who worked at a local media outlet, said: “After the Taliban took control, the use of certain words deemed sensitive by the group was banned. There was constant emphasis on avoiding these words and using Pashto equivalents instead.” Click here to read more (external link).