Correspondents Criticize Lack of Safety Working for Journalists

Afghan correspondents in reaction to the death of the local reporter of Ariana News Nimatullah Zaheer have stated that there is no safety working for Afghan correspondents, accusing the government for not doing much to save the life of journalists in the country.

Ariana News local reporter in Helmand Nimatullah Zaheer was martyred by a roadside bomb while he was trying to collect information from the security condition of the area which had been cleared by the Afghan security forces in Godar area of the Helmand province, Mr. Zaheer worked for Afghanistan media more than one decade.

Journalist Sayed Abdullah Hashimi said,” 2016 has been the bloodiest year for Afghan journalists and correspondents, and Government is responsible to ensure safety and security for correspondents.”

Meanwhile journalist Aynuddin Bahadori said,” Government has failed to ensure security and safety for Afghan correspondents and maintaining the security is the responsibility of the Government.”

Correspondent Khaliqi Kandahari said, “First of all I express my condolence to the family members and Ariana News TV station for losing the talented local correspondent Nimatullah Zaheer who was working in Helmand province, secondly the there is no open space for Journalists and correspondents in Helmand province to work and the local Governmental officials and security responsible should ensure security for the journalists.”

However huge number of correspondents insisted that Government should ensure security for the safety of journalists throughout the country.

Local journalist from Helmand Abdul Rahim Mutmain said,” Nothing has been done for safety and security of the correspondents in Afghanistan, I call all the correspondents and journalists to take care of themselves while they are on the field and I also ask both local Governmental officials and security forces to ensure security for the reporters while they are covering your achievements.”

In main time the Northeast country correspondent Nisar Sadeq said, “The Government of Afghanistan didn’t fulfill the promise it had made to ensure security and safety of correspondents in the country.”

“I express my deep sorrows and condolence for the loss of Ariana News local reporter in Helmand Nimatullah Zaheer to the family and Afghanistan media family members, secondly I demand the Government of Afghanistan to pursue violence’s cases of the correspondents and journalists and execute the perpetrators, and do not let the freedom of speech to be damaged by killing of media staffs in the country.”

Officials in Afghanistan correspondent’s safety committee have declared none implementation of the law and regulation is the main barrier for correspondents and journalist to gain their rights.

The death of the Mr. Zaheer comes after that BBC reporter for Kunduz has lost his life in a traffic accident in Baghlan on Monday on his way to Kabul.

Reported by Ali Jawad Asghari