Regional Language Academies Urge Protection of Autonomy in Meeting with PkMAP Leaders

**Quetta:** Representatives of regional language academies in Balochistan have called for the protection and encouragement of linguistic and literary institutions instead of making them controversial on the basis of doubts and suspicions.

A joint delegation of office bearers from the Pashto, Balochi, Brahui, and Hazaragi academies visited the central secretariat of the Pashtunkhwa National Awami Party (PkMAP) and held a detailed meeting with party leaders including Provincial President Nasrullah Khan Zerey, Provincial Secretary Fakir Khushhal Kasi, Office Secretary Nida Sangar, Deputy Secretaries Abdul Razzaq Baloch and Fayyaz Khan, and Central Committee member Wazir Khan.

During the meeting, both sides discussed the promotion of regional languages in the province, the autonomy of academic and literary institutions, and the Balochistan government’s proposed **“Balochistan Regional Languages Academies and Literary Society Bill 2025.”**

The delegation briefed the party leadership on the potential negative impact of the proposed bill on the autonomy of the academies. They emphasized that these academies are not merely administrative or government units but fully autonomous scholarly and literary institutions with constitutional and legal status.

The delegation noted that the academies are registered under the **Societies Registration Act 1860**, which grants them complete independence in their internal administration, academic activities, and research decisions. They also pointed out that **Section 7 of the Balochistan Charity Regulation Authority Act 2019** guarantees their autonomous status.

The representatives warned that if a new law attempts to abolish their legal and autonomous status and place them directly under bureaucratic control, it would be against constitutional and legal principles and harmful to academic and literary freedom.

Members of the delegation stressed that the main purpose of these academies is to promote regional languages and cultures while supporting research, literature, history, and social harmony.

Concern was also expressed over a recent statement made by the Chief Minister of Balochistan on the floor of the provincial assembly, in which he suggested that content published by the academies was contributing to the alienation of youth from the state. The delegation and PkMAP leaders rejected this claim, saying that all published material is on record and promotes peace, humanity, knowledge, cultural preservation, and love for the homeland.

Both sides agreed that a joint delegation led by senior political figures would soon meet the Chief Minister to provide a comprehensive briefing about the academies’ academic, literary, and research work and to address any possible misunderstandings.

PkMAP leaders assured the delegation that the party attaches great importance to the protection of regional languages, cultures, and academic institutions, and that it would raise its voice on every democratic and constitutional forum to safeguard their autonomy. They also emphasized that literature, research, and poetry are essential pillars of intellectual development in any society and should not be restricted.