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Media should help govt in overcoming existing challenges: Information Minister
AT-KABUL: The first ever two-day media exhibition kicked off here on Sunday where scores of electronic, print and online media outlets participated.
The expo was inaugurated by Minister of Information and Culture, Abdul Bari Jahani, at the Afghanistan Expo Center in Shahr-e-Naw area of Kabul City. The exhibition was organized by the Ministry of Information and Culture (MoIC) in joint venture with Afghanistan Expo Center, at the objective to commend local media organizations for their positive role and boost up coordination among them. Over 100 booths were set up.
Speaking at the inauguration ceremony, Abdul Bari Jahani said that media should concentrate on the national interests and help the government in overcoming the all outstanding challenges.
The minister said that media could play vital role in unveiling the faces of anti-Afghanistan forces and strengthening the national unity.
“Media outlets progressed well in the past decade. The Ministry of Information and Culture will continue to support local media organizations for further progress in future,” he promised.
Pointing to different outstanding problems, Chairman of the Meshrano Jirga, Fazil Hadi Muslimyar, said that media must work for peace and support Afghan security forces against militants.
He also echoed the words of the information minister asking media to focus their energy on protection of national interests and promotion of national unity.
Chief of the Afghanistan Investment Support Agency (AISA), Mohammad Qurban Haqjo, said that freedom of speech and boom in media industry is one of the great achievements of the Afghan government in the past decade.
He said that media could play key role in different aspects, adding that media outlets should provide more coverage to constructive programs than reporting negative war news.
“Negative news discourages investors and results in capital flight from the country. Therefore, media organizations shall bring balance in their reporting. Poverty is one of the main factors behind insecurity. Thus, media outlets shall produce programs to tell public about development and overcoming poverty,” he suggested.
It is pertinent to mention that 1,080 print media outlets, 166 radio stations and 76 TV channel are active in the country. Millions of dollars have been invested in the media sector and thousands of job opportunities were created.
