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IEA has imposed no restrictions on media in Afghansitan: deputy minister
The Islamic Emirate of Afghanistan (IEA) has imposed no restrictions on the media outlets in the country, deputy minister of information and culture said.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Ariana News, Hayatullah Muhajer Farahi, deputy minister of information and culture for broadcasting, said that media outlets can operate in the country, but should not violate the Islamic principles.
He said that the way the West defines freedom of speech cannot apply in an Islamic country.
“Broadcasting something against Islamic values, national interests and Afghanistan’s culture and tradition is not freedom of speech,” Farahi said.
On the issue of female presenters required to cover their faces, Farahi said that wearing hijab is a Sharia rule, and it applies to all women.
“Hijab is not only for women who appear in the media, it is for all women in the country. A woman going to the market should also wear hijab,” Farahi said.
The official admitted that there were some issues between the media and IEA in the early days of the government, but they are now reslved. He said that no journalist has been arrested or tortured for his work.
This comes as the United Nations Assistanee Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) said last month that it recorded human rights abuses of more than 200 reporters since IEA takeover in August last year.
IEA has rejected the report.
Rana Sanaullah, Pakistan Prime Minister’s Special Assistant on Political Affairs, says Islamabad does not seek to impose war on Afghanistan or occupy any part of its territory.
Speaking at a press conference on Saturday, he stated that Pakistan’s primary expectation is for Afghanistan to prevent militant groups from using its soil to launch attacks against Pakistan. He warned that failure to address this concern could lead to the continuation of Pakistani operations targeting such groups.
Pakistani officials have long maintained that militant attacks in Pakistan are planned from Afghan territory. However, the Islamic Emirate has rejected the claim, insisting that Afghanistan is not responsible for what it describes as Pakistan’s “security failures.”
Afghanistan has once again been ranked the least happy country in the world, according to the latest edition of the World Happiness Report.
The report, which measures people’s overall life satisfaction across 147 countries, placed Afghanistan at the bottom of the global ranking for another year, with a score 1.4 out of 10. Researchers assess factors such as income levels, social support, freedom to make life choices, perceptions of corruption, and overall quality of life.
For the ninth consecutive year, Finland ranked as the world’s happiest country, with a score of 7.7. Iceland and Denmark followed it, as Nordic nations continued to dominate the top of the index.
A notable development came from Costa Rica, which climbed to fourth place — the highest ranking ever recorded for a Latin American country.
Other countries with low rankings included Sierra Leone, Malawi, Zimbabwe and Botswana.
Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim has welcomed the temporary ceasefire between Pakistan and Afghanistan announced in connection with the Eid-ul-Fitr celebrations, calling for continued efforts to reduce tensions and achieve lasting peace.
Anwar shared the message during a telephone conversation with his Pakistani counterpart, Shehbaz Sharif. In a Facebook post, Anwar emphasized the importance of dialogue and de-escalation, while also expressing concern over rising tensions in the Middle East, particularly involving Iran, and urging all parties to prioritize peaceful solutions.
Pakistan said it had temporarily suspended military operations in Afghanistan at the request of Saudi Arabia, Qatar, and Turkey. Afghan authorities likewise announced a halt to operations during Eid, citing goodwill and similar requests from regional partners.
The ceasefire follows weeks of heightened tensions between Afghanistan and Pakistan, including Durand Line clashes and airstrikes.
Separately, Turkey President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a phone call discussed regional developments with Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, reaffirming Turkey’s commitment to peace and stability and stressing continued cooperation for long-term security.
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