The Ministry of Information and Culture’s Media Violations Commission has decided to haul Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN), Sarnawesht (destiny) and Mili Bawar (national trust) before the office of the attorney general for breaking the law.
The Ministry of Information and Culture’s Media Violations Commission has decided to haul Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN), Sarnawesht (destiny) and Mili Bawar (national trust) before the office of the attorney general for breaking the law.The ministry is miffed by a May 24 report published by PAN quoting a governmental source (the name was not divulged) who said Iran has given millions of dollars to some members of parliament (some names have been identified) to vote against the Afghan-US strategic treaty. Subsequently the report was picked up by Sarnawesht (May 26, 69th issue) and Mili Bawar in its 120th issue which credited PAN for the information.
Media Commission member Shakur Dadras said following complaints from members of parliament (MPs) whose identities were revealed they decided to take up the matter with the attorney general’s (AG) office. .
Asadullah Waheedi, the chief editor of Sarnawesht, confirmed the AG’s office has begun investigations. “We have been under mental pressure for a long time,” he told Killid in an exclusive interview. “The police are coming to our office daily. The attorney general’s office is calling us and we have to go to the office to reply to simple and common question.”
According to Waheedi, he has been to the AG’s office 10 times already. “You know that I was abducted for 28 hours last year illegally.”
Abidullah Abid, the chief editor of Mili Bawar told Killid the commission has been peremptory in its action and has cracked down on Sarnawesht and his daily before carefully reading the offending article to find out the source of the news is.
Firm stand
Danish Karokhel, chief editor PAN, has defended the publication of the news. He told Killid his news agency had got the news from an “authentic governmental source” and had checked it with 10 other sources before publishing.
Karokhel said he was summoned to the commission on May 27 to clarify the “exactness, balance and authenticity” of the report.
According to Karokhel, the Ministry of Information and Culture is under pressure from the MPs whose names have been mentioned in the report. He said PAN was not upset that the issue has been referred to the AG’s office. The commission has time and again asked PAN to reveal the name of its source but only a court has the authority, Karokhel added.
He wondered why the two dailies, Sarnawesht and Bawar, were being probed by the AG’s office when PAN has confirmed it is the author of the report, and has documents to prove its case. He was critical of Minister of Information and Culture Sayed Makhdoom Raheen and said the news was junked over RTA (Radio Television of Afghanistan) before it was even investigated by a court or AG’s office, which is a “big” attack on the independence of the media. The PAN report has mentioned names of 10 sources, and all sides were spoken to, he clarified.
Karokhel told Killid, “The members of the commission themselves accepted they have not read properly and entirely the report.”
Fair play
Meanwhile, Abdul Hameed Mubarez, head of the Afghanistan Journalists Association, has called the decision of the commission anti-media and anti-constitutional. The commission was set up to probe instances of media bias and issue warnings or levy fines as the case may be.
The commission’s Shakur Daras has warned the court will mete out the punishment. “The publication of the report is not allowable under article 45 of the media law. It is not only prohibited but it is a violation as well. It will mean court punishment.” The 3rd and 4th clause of article 45 refers to publication of reports that insult individuals and defame and damage their prestige.
