The spokesman of the Islamic Emirate said on Sunday that the government believes in freedom of the press and supports media outlets where content is in line with Sharia and national interests.

Zabihullah Mujahid said this while speaking at a seminar organized by the Ministry of Higher Education.

“If we observe the Islamic principles, national interests and prevent spreading of rumors and pure propaganda of intelligence activities, the government strongly supports the press and media, and if the media operates within this framework, it will not have any problems, rather it will be supported, and that media will be the real media of our country,” Mujahid said.

He also called on officials to listen to criticism reflected by the media.

“May government officials listen to criticism with patience. If it is not true, they should respond, and if it is true, they should bring reforms. This is the cooperation of society with the government. When this cooperation is brought together by the media, we can have an advanced and stable country.”

Mujahid also emphasized the importance of impartiality of the media and said that the media should be a neutral bridge between the government and the people so that trust in the media increases and the rulers can address the problems of the people.

“The responsibility of the media is that they should be neutral and not biased as they act as a medium between the government and the people. When they criticize the government or have an objection or question about the government, they should raise it as a third party. When the media acts as a third party, the government also trusts the media,” he said.

The spokesman of the Islamic Emirate also said that national unity and establishing relations with the world are part of Afghanistan’s national interests, and the media has an obligation to strengthen national unity in the country and not allow division.

He added that the media do not have absolute freedom anywhere in the world and are subject to laws, and Afghanistan, which has an Islamic system, has its own laws which apply to the media.