Two Kabul-based Afghan journalists go missing | Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)

Pakistan Press Foundation

Two Kabul-based Afghan journalists go missing

PESHAWAR- Two Kabul based Afghan journalists have been missing since first August.

The sources from inside Afghan said that missing journalists are Mullah Asad Ullah Hanfi and Mullah Ghulam Mohammad Farooq. Both of the them are associated with Taliban sponsored daily Shariat as its Editor and Assistant Editor respectively. Their colleagues and relatives are extremely worried over their disappearance.

It is pertinent to mention that daily Shariat was launched by the Taliban in 1995 from Peshawar and after capturing Kabul, its offices were shifted to Kabul.

The reports said that the journalists were reportedly arrested by Taliban authorities on the charges of publishing what they call objectionable materials in the newspaper. The objectionable materials were found out to be a satirical poem written by known Pushto poet Khushal Khan Khattak. Through such a poem, late Khattak has criticised the hypocrite policies on the part of religious circles.

Later on the matter was brought to the notice of Taliban’s spiritual leader Mullah Mohammad Omer Akhund who after examining the case has ordered their release. However, after such directives of Mullah Mohammad Omer no one knew about the two journalists and they had disappeared. The report said that upon their release both Mullah Asad-Ullah Hanfi and Mullah Ghulam Mohammad Farooq had left Kabul for Khandhar to meet Mullah Omer but since then no one knows about them. Even the reports from Khandhar confirms that they yet to arrive in that city which is considered headquarter of Taliban.

“For the last few days no one know about their whereabouts and we are worried about them and are desperately searching for them” confided one of his colleague.

Their going missing had led to all kind of speculations and different rumours.
Source: The Nation
Date:8/16/2001