Afghanistan Times
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KABUL: Journalists blame government officials for not providing them with precise and accurate information to them about war, attacks and casualties, besides keeping the peace efforts secret from public.
The Shaheen 209 Military Corps lately said in a statement Taliban’s shadow governor for Gorziwan district of Faryab province was killed in an army operation, but the photo it attached to identify the killed man, was not him, but it was a picture of Sayed Tayyeb Agha, a senior Taliban official and was taken 18 years ago.
“One of the problems journalists are facing with is that they do not have timely access to government spokespersons. We can barely get contact to them for information. Another problem is that government officials give us inaccurate figures to us,” said Yousuf Amiri, a Kabul-based journalist.
“Unfortunately, in some government bodies, spokespersons do not have good cooperation with the media,” Aman Farhang, another reporter who also works in Kabul said.
As another example; police in Kapisa province reported of killing of a number of Taliban fighters, but sent a photo from a Taliban commander in Farah province.
The Government Media and Information Center, says it would work hard to provide precise information to media.
“The government is committed to share timely and exact information with the media. We have always tried to to be good partner to the media and provide them with necessary information,” Firoz Bashari, head of the Government Media and Information Center, said.
Security bodies have frequently sent wrong information and photos of clashes and operations.
