Access to information is hard, complain Ghazni journalists

GHAZNI CITY (Pajhwok): Journalists in southern Ghazi have shared problems they face in having access to information with provincial officials.

Journalists’ Safety Committee head for southern zone Gullab Amiri said problems of journalists had somehow decreased, but they still faced some problems in access to information.

Amiri said: “Access to information is an accepted human right in Afghanistan under the law, officials must respect this right.”

Local journalist with Tamaddon TV, Zakaria Hasan Zada, said it was the duty of journalists to inform the public about facts. However, journalists were often denied access to information.

Hasan Zada said: “Local authorities do not share information with journalists for investigative reports; this phenomenon has a negative impact on the work of journalists.”

Toryalai Tabish, a reporter with Salam Watandar Radio, said the authorities were obliged to share information with media outlets.

He said sometimes reporters had to wait for a week to hear back from the authorities.

Provincial governor Mohammad Amin Jan Omari assured the journalists that he would address issues related to access to information.

Omari said: “We are committed to supporting the media whether it is sharing information or other issues, we want the media to manage their activities within Islamic values and national interests. If an official acts against journalists in violation of Sharia, I would act against that official and drag him to the law.”

Information and Culture director Maulvi Hamidullah Nisar also assured that he would share journalists’ problems with relevant institutions.

Nisar said: “Ghazni has not registered any issue of mistreatment or threat against reporters during the past one year, which shows that the government of Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan is committed to the freedom of press.”

In addition to Ghazni, journalists in many other provinces are also facing the same problem and have been complaining that government officials do not respond to their queries on time.

aw/ma

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