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Journalists urged to work within framework of Islamic values and national interests
The Islamic Emirate’s spokesman Zabihullah Mujahid congratulated all journalists on the occasion of National Journalists’ Day Sunday and asked them to actively adhere to the framework of Islamic values and national interests when carrying out their work.
Mujahid said that journalists are like a bridge between the nation and the government.
“The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan and related organizations will support journalists. We support the work and activities of journalists and encourage them to be more active within the framework of Islamic values and the national interests of the country,” he said.
However, a number of female journalists have expressed concern that restrictions on their activities should be removed.
“Let politics do its job and journalists continue their work while maintaining journalistic principles,” said Geeta Rashidzada, a female journalist.
In addition, several media supporting organizations including Afghanistan Media Organization on Sunday celebrated this day in Kabul.
The participants said journalists should have access to information, and they should be safe and enjoy financial security.
“I hope that the public media law which is taken to Kandahar for approval, may be implemented and might be available to journalists soon,” said one journalist.
Meanwhile, the Afghan Independent Journalists Union (AIJU) also believes that the situation of media and journalists in the country is improving.
“We expect that the Islamic Emirate should pay more attention to the issue of access to information and create a better journalistic environment; also international institutions should help solve economic problems of Afghan media, now more so than ever before,” said Hojatullah Mujadadi, head of AIJU.
A large number of media outlets in Kabul and provinces closed down in late 2021 and early 2022 for various reasons, including financial problems.
But in recent months, a number of these outlets have resumed operations.
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Afghanistan-Gambia ties discussed during Doha meeting
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Suhail Shaheen, head of the Islamic Emirate’s embassy in Doha, has met with Omar Jah, Ambassador and Permanent Representative of The Gambia to Qatar, to discuss bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.
According to a statement from the Afghan embassy in Doha, Jah also oversees Gambian diplomatic affairs related to Afghanistan.
The meeting focused on Afghanistan-Gambia relations, the current security situation in Afghanistan, and potential investment opportunities in the country.
Both sides also exchanged views on strengthening diplomatic engagement and exploring future economic cooperation.
Mahmood Khan Achakzai, a member of Pakistan’s National Assembly and head of the Pakhtunkhwa Awami National Party, has said that if capable statesmen had been in power, people living on both sides of the Durand Line could have moved freely across the line.
Speaking during a podcast interview, Achakzai said that countries with histories of major conflict, including Russia, Germany and the United Kingdom, now maintain far more open borders despite past wars. He said that in many such regions, only a “paper line” remains, with limited border restrictions.
Drawing comparisons with the disputed Durand Line boundary between Afghanistan and Pakistan, Achakzai argued that a similar arrangement could have been possible in South Asia.
“What is the problem here? A Punjabi could dance in Kandahar and a Pashtun could come here. Even if we are not formally one country, we could have effectively functioned like one,” he said.
The Pakistani politician also referred to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and the later U.S.-led intervention, saying Afghanistan has the right to seek war reparations from those countries to support reconstruction efforts.
Achakzai further criticised the treatment of Pashtuns in Pakistan, alleging that individuals in cities including Lahore and Karachi have faced detention and deportation.
Kyrgyzstan has completed major construction work on its territory under the regional energy project CASA-1000, according to a recent report by the Eurasian Stabilization and Development Fund (ESDF). With key infrastructure now in place, further progress on the project depends on the completion of construction in Afghanistan, which is expected by the end of 2027.
The report notes that Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, and Pakistan have largely finalized their respective infrastructure components and are now awaiting the completion of the Afghan section before moving forward with full operational stages.
The CASA-1000 project, valued at approximately $1.2 billion, aims to establish a high-voltage electricity transmission line linking Central and South Asia. The initiative is designed to enable Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to export surplus hydropower during summer months, when electricity demand rises in Pakistan and Afghanistan due to increased use of cooling systems.
Construction work in Afghanistan was suspended in August 2021, at a stage when only about 18 percent of transmission structures had been installed, although more than 90 percent of equipment had already been delivered to the country. Following extended negotiations and security assurances, work on the Afghan section resumed in December 2024.
ESDF experts say that once construction in Afghanistan is completed, participating countries will be able to begin technical testing of the high-voltage direct current (HVDC) system. A full launch of the regional energy corridor is expected by the end of 2027, marking a significant milestone in regional energy integration between Central and South Asia.
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