JournalismPakistan.com | Published August 05, 2019
Join our WhatsApp channel
Two people were killed in a blast targeting workers for an Afghan television station on Sunday, while elsewhere in the war-torn nation at least seven police officers died in an “insider attack” by Taliban loyalists, officials said.
The deadly attacks come amid surging violence across Afghanistan even while the U.S. is negotiating with the Taliban for a possible peace agreement.
The first attack occurred in Kabul, when a “sticky bomb”— a type of homemade device often attached to vehicles with magnets — went off around 5:30 p.m., interior ministry spokesman Nasrat Rahimi said.
A “bus carrying the employees of Khurshid TV exploded in the Taimani area,” he said, referring to a bustling neighborhood in central Kabul. “Two bypassers killed, and four others, including three employees of Khurshid TV injured.”
Social media pictures showed a white minibus with extensive damage to its front. Zabiullah Doorandish, a journalist with Khurshid TV, said three of his colleagues had been injured, including one journalist. “We had received a warning recently by the [security services], that the Taliban may target us,” he told AFP.
No group immediately claimed responsibility but the Taliban in June threatened media outlets broadcasting anti-Taliban advertisements. “They shall become military targets for the mujahideen in the capital, provinces, cities and rural areas and none of their offices, journalists, workers and personnel shall retain any immunity,” the Taliban said in a June 24 statement.
Doorandish said he had not seen any anti-Taliban ads on the channel.
According to its Facebook page, the private Khurshid TV station is dedicated to showing cultural programs that “preach the main values of journalism, democracy, national unity, creation of understanding & trust among people.”
Afghanistan is the world’s deadliest place for journalists, who face many risks covering the conflict and who have sometimes been targeted for doing their job.
On Twitter, Afghan President Ashraf Ghani called the bus attack “a war crime.”
“I strongly condemn the attack on Khurshid Media. Deliberately targeting media and civilians is a war crime and those responsible will be held accountable,” he wrote. “Words cannot express how saddened I am to hear of your loss. I send my deepest condolences to the affected families.”
In the southern province of Kandahar, at least seven Afghan police officers were killed when a group of colleagues thought to be loyal to the Taliban opened fire, officials said. Jamal Naser Barekzai, spokesman for Kandahar’s provincial police chief, said the attack occurred at a police checkpoint.
Another security official put the toll at 11, while the Taliban claimed their infiltrators had killed 14 “gunmen.” Insider attacks, sometimes referred to as “green on green,” are a constant threat in Afghanistan for international and Afghan forces alike. — AFP
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.