AJF press conference halted to avoid unhealthy competition: Govt

KABUL (Pajhwok): The Afghanistan’s Journalists Federation (AJF) press conference was cancelled because of the functioning of similar federation and the escape of AJF officials to the foreign country, an official said on Friday.

Government Deputy Spokesperson Inamullah Samangani on his twitter account wrote: “Owners and directors of media outlets flee to foreign countries but want their outlets to be functioning here. May their life is more important than their staff-members.”

Referring to the owners and directors of these media outlets, he said if they were the true champions of freedom of expression they shall come and stand with their staffers and defend the freedom of expression.

In a statement the government said that at currently a Journalists Federation was active in the country and most media outlets has its membership.

Referring to unhealthy competition between media outlets, the statement said: “Announcing another federation, as well as membership of those media outlets whose activities were stopped years ago or whose officials fled the country, is not an appropriate step.”

The Afghanistan Journalists Federation was earlier stopped from holding a conference on Wednesday on the situation of media and journalists in Afghanistan.

“Despite the availability of the required facilities and invitations sent to journalists to cover this conference, the Islamic Emirate prevented the event through a verbal order,” a statement from the federation said.