QUETTA: A joint emergency meeting of Balochistan’s literary and linguistic bodies was held to strongly oppose the proposed move to place institutions teaching in national languages of the province under direct government control.

Balochi Academy Chairman Habitan Umar, presided over the meeting, which was attended by representatives of the Pashto, Brahvi, Hazaragi academies and other literary bodies of the province.

The meeting expressed its serious concern over the provincial government approval of a bill from the provincial cabinet without consulting the literary institutions.

The proposed legislation seeks to bring literary and linguistic organisations under the administrative control of the culture and education departments.

The participants termed the proposed Balochistan Regional Languages Bill, 2025 as detrimental to language and literature, warning that it would create obstacles to the promotion and development of Balochistan’s national languages. They demanded the immediate withdrawal of the bill.

Chairman of Pashto Academy, Dr Hafiz Rehmat Niazi, said the Constitution of Pakistan granted every citizen the right to strive for the protection of their culture, identity and language.

He criticised the School Education Department for allegedly securing cabinet approval of the bill without consultation and in violation of the Societies Act of 1860, strongly condemning the move.

Chairperson of Brahvi Academy, Professor Dr Susan Brahvi, expressed grave reservations about the proposed policy, stating that ending the autonomous status of literary and research institutions working for the development of languages was unacceptable.

Hazaragi Academy Chairman Ahmed Ali Baig also strongly condemned the cabinet’s decision, stating that such legislation would block sincere efforts made for the development and promotion of regional languages.

The meeting unanimously passed a joint resolution demanding that the Balochistan Regional Languages, Academies and Literary Societies Bill, 2025 be repealed and that the government instead strengthen and support language institutions to function independently and effectively.

Published in Dawn, March 2nd, 2026