New Delhi/Anirudha Sudhansu. In a one-day online international dialogue organized by the SAARC Journalist Forum, journalists from SAARC countries raised their voice against the atrocities on journalists in Afghanistan and appealed to the governments of SAARC countries to ask the Taliban government to restore media freedom in Afghanistan. Let journalists work freely. Please inform that after the change of power, the freedom of the journalists of Afghanistan has been snatched and the journalists there are living in other countries.
Mohammad Graan, a journalist from Afghanistan, who is currently in Pakistan, told that like me there are more than 100 journalists who are living in different parts of Pakistan. They say that we are living in very bad conditions and don’t know how long we will have to live like this. Khalil, an Afghan journalist living in Norway, expressed concern about the journalists of Afghanistan and also urged the SAARC journalists to stand together with the journalists of Afghanistan. We are standing together and we will discuss their problems with the Pakistani rulers and also inform the Afghanistan Embassy about this.
Saghirahmed Qamar Treasurur of SAARC Journalist Forum central executive committee said he will do all possible support to assist the journalists of Afghanistan who are in Pakistan. Husnain Chaudhary General Secretary of SJF Pakistan Chapter also expressed his support to the journalists of Afghanistan in Pakistan.
In this conference, there was also condemnation for the attack and murder of journalists in Maharashtra in India. They also demanded to make and implement the Journalist Protection Act, on the other hand, the dangers due to closure of newspapers and privatization in Bhutan were also discussed. Rinzin Wangchuk of Bhutan says that the media in Bhutan is going out of government hands and going into private hands and media houses are closing down. Advertisements and all collaborations are being stopped. We hope that things will change.
Amina Azizi, a female journalist from Afghanistan, says that the kind of situation that has developed in Afghanistan, both female journalism and female journalists will end in the coming times. Expressing concern over the condition of journalists, SAARC Journalist Forum International President Raju Lama has written a letter to the United Nations urging them to solve the problem of journalists in Afghanistan.
President of SAARC Journalist Forum Nepal Chapter Prakash Silwal, Nripendra Lal Shrestha, Aman Ansari, General Secretary of Bangladesh Chapter Nazma Sultana also expressed solidarity to the journalists of Afghanistan and demands Taliban to provide work and allow press and expression freedom in Afghanistan.
Concern was also expressed over the attacks on journalists in different parts of India. Maharashtra State President Anil Sable, South India State Coordinator Thillai Natrajan along with all India State Unit agreed and condemned the attack on journalists. The President of SAARC Journalist Forum India Chapter Anirudha Sudhansu thanked everyone on behalf of the India Chapter and expressed concern over the condition of journalists and said to intensify the struggle for the interests of journalists in the future.
