Lawmakers: Attack on journalists ‘unforgivable’

KABUL or lower house of Parliament on Monday strongly condemned a twin suicide bomb attack on journalists in capital Kabul as “unforgivable”, asking the government to prevent further bloodshed in the country.

At least 21 people, including nine journalists and photographers, were killed and another 41 people were wounded including six media workers in the twin blasts in the ninth police district of Kabul this morning.

Daesh or Islamic State (IS) group took responsibility for the attack which drew strong condemnation from top US, NATO and Afghan officials.

Abdul Qader Zazai, a lawmaker from Kabul, condemned the attack and said, “Those (journalists) who always sacrificed their lives in the service of public are martyred today, this incident is a crime against humanity and those behind it should be chased and brought to justice.”

The Wolesi Jirga in its today’s session also offered prayers for the departed souls.

After the fateha, lawmaker Mohammad Daud Kalakani form Kabul said: “These issues cannot be resolved with praying, we mourn deaths every day and pray only for the victims and do nothing else.”

“For how long our people would suffer and lose lives, this issue should be added to the house agenda and we should reach a solution to stop losing our journalists, security forces, women and children,” he said.

Farhad Azimi, a lawmaker from northern Balkh province, also said the problem could not be resolved by praying and the Parliament should work on a plan which could help stop more such attacks.

Wolesi Jirga speaker Abdul Rauf Ibrahimi said today’s attack in Kabul was painful and crime against humanity.

He extended his condolences to the bereaved families and asked the government to work on a plan to prevent repetition of such attacks in future.

mds/ma