Back from Qatar, journalists misinformed about visa

KABUL (Pajhwok):  The Afghanistan Journalist Safety Committee (AJSC) on Wednesday said the government was obliged to allow journalists to return to Qatar for coverage of the peace talks.

Sediqullah Tawhid, AJSC head, told a press conference here that a number of journalists who went to Qatar had returned due to lack of government’s cooperation.

He said the journalists had no option but to return home leaving the rest of the peace process after they were told their five-day visa was expiring.

Tawhidi said it was government’s responsibility to facilitate journalists, provide them information and create no obstacles during their coverage of the peace talks in Qatar.

He called on the State Ministry for Peace Affairs and the government to facilitate return of journalists to Qatar to cover the rest of talks.

Tawhidi said peace affairs ministry officials and some other government officials told reporters in Qatar that Qatar had issued a five-day visa to them and they could face multiple problems if they stayed further.

However, he claimed Qatar had issued a month long visa not five days visa for journalists.

Hamid Kohisatani, a reporter with Kilid group, said Qatar provided good opportunity to journalists to cover the peace talks but Afghan officials misinformed them about visas and the length of their stay there and more problems.

He said they were forced to return after three days with a delegation that included Dr. Abdullah Abdullah, the National High Reconciliation Council (NHRC) chairman, and acting Foreign Minister Mohammad Hanif Atmar.

A number of other returning reporters held similar views and urged the government to help them go back to cover the rest of peace talks in Qatar.

pk/ma