East journos praise Pajhwok report on ventilators

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): Independent journalists in eastern Nangarhar province on Sunday held a gathering and praised a Pajhwok report about the smuggling of 32 ventilators.

The journalists also opposed amendment to the media law and said the opinion of provincial reporters should be incorporated in the proposed changes.

The local reporters, getting together in the Nangarhar Media Center here, urged the government to timely provide information to them.

Rahmatullah Ziarmal, the Journalist Association head in Nangarhar, told the gathering that Nangarhar-based independent journalists supported Pajhwok about its investigative report as the report encouraged rest of the Afghan media to work in this regard.

He said, “We will never accept changes to the media law and we will never go back from our decision, if the amendment takes place, the views of provincial reporters should be taken first and we will not accept deal in this regard.”

Shir Shah Hamdard, Journalist safety Community head in eastern zone, expressed his happiness over the delay in amending the media law as President Ashraf Ghani ordered a revision of the amendment.

He also supported and welcomed Pajhwok report about the smuggling of 32 ventilators to Pakistan and called on media persons to make investigation reports to prevent corruption in the country.

Mohammad Asif Shinwari, Tehran voice radio reporter, also welcomed the Pajhwok report and urged the government to support and extend cooperation with Pajhwok Afghan News if it really wanted to fight corruption in the country.

Zabiullah Rahimzai, a BBC reporter, held similar views and stressed all media outlets should be supported in their fight against corruption.

Attaullah Khogyani, the governor’s spokesman, also welcomed journalists’ struggle against corruption.

Meanwhile, Danish Karokhel, Pajhwok director, also thanked the reporters in a telephonic conversation and said if someone wanted to work for people’s wellbeing, they should work on investigative reports.

Pk/ma