Khawasi remarks against media law: ANJU

KABUL member regarding media outlets were against the country’s laws, especially the law on mass media.

Abdul Sattar Khawasi, a legislator from central Parwan, on Saturday said most TV programmes were misleading. “TV channels are not for the correction of people, but are tasked with misleading the Muslims of Afghanistan by non-Muslim groups,” he alleged during Saturday session of the lower house.

The MP said there should be a jihad against TV channels promoting culture and religious beliefs of others through dramas and films.

However, ANJU in a statement said like other organisations, media outlets also faced several problems.

It said efforts at bringing about more legitimacy to the activities of media organisations were acceptable, but such remarks created serious concerns about their future in the country.

Khwasi’s remarks were clearly against the country’s laws especially the media law, the statement said, adding any remarks that violated media law were unacceptable to them.

“No individual or group can or should take any step against media outlets until the step is legal and in accordance with the media law,” the statement said.

The Wolesi Jirga on Saturday set a one-month deadline for Information and Culture Minister Syed Makhdom Raheen to ban “anti-Islamic broadcasts” by TV channels.

ANJU asked the executive, the legislature and the judiciary to support journalists and media organizations by restoring the suspended articles of the mass media law.

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