Pakistani scholar joins Persian Language Academy
Pakistani Persian scholar and bibliographer Arif Naushahi received honorary membership in Iran’s Academy of Persian Language and Literature at a ceremony in Islamabad attended by Pakistani Minister for National Heritage and Culture Aurangzeb Khan Khichi, Iranian Ambassador to Pakistan Reza Amiri-Moghaddam, Iranian Cultural Attaché Majid Meshki, and a gathering of academics and Persian-language enthusiasts.
The honor recognizes Naushahi’s more than five decades of scholarship, teaching, and preservation efforts devoted to Persian language and literature in Pakistan, underscoring the enduring cultural ties between Tehran and Islamabad, Tasnim News Agency reported on June 14.
Speaking at the ceremony, Khichi described Persian as a language that served as the official administrative and cultural medium across the subcontinent for nearly eight centuries.
“Pakistan’s history and culture are deeply intertwined with the Persian language,” he said, calling Naushahi’s appointment “another chapter in the profound historical bonds between Iran and Pakistan.”
Amiri-Moghaddam said the honorary membership was awarded in recognition of Naushahi’s distinguished contributions to Persian studies and with the aim of further expanding cultural relations between the two neighboring countries. He noted that Persian “remains alive thanks to the efforts and affection of the people of Pakistan.”
Meshki said the selection of a Pakistani scholar reflected the academy’s appreciation for the prominent place of Persian in Pakistan and the depth of cultural connections between the two nations.
Born in Pakistan’s Punjab province in 1955, Naushahi has dedicated much of his academic career to Persian manuscript studies, bibliography, and literary research. He has authored dozens of Persian-language books and donated around 10,000 Persian manuscripts and volumes to the Ganj Bakhsh Library in Rawalpindi.