“Incidents of violence against journalists yet to be probed properly”

JALALABAD (Pajhwok): The Federation of Journalists Support Unions (FJSU) says recent security threats and attacks against journalists in eastern Nangarhar have not been properly investigated.

Representatives of the National Directorate of Security (NDS), Independent Directorate of Local Governance (IDLG), the Ministry of Interior (MoI) and the FJSU visited Jalalabad on Sunday and heard problems of local media workers during a meeting.

Hujatullah Mujadedi, investigation in charge at the joint government-journalists committee, said security threats and latest incidents against journalists in which four female journalists were killed had not been properly probed.

Abdul Moeed Hashimi, head of Journalists Defense Committee, said the level of violence against media workers had surged in the past three months during which 10 journalists and three of their family members killed.

He also criticized media outlets for using journalists as “machines” but were careless about their safety.

Sher Shah Hamdard, head of Journalists Support Union in Nangarhar, also expressed concern about raising threats against journalists in the province and said measures should be taken for improving media workers’ safety.

Ataullah Khogyani, the governor’s spokesman, said the provincial administration had met with journalists unions and media outlets and would take required steps for their safety.

Sa/mds