Journalists resent maltreatment at Afghan DPs camps
PESHAWAR- Provincial government of NWFP has beefed up security arrangements around refugee camps near Peshawar so that foreign journalists currently visiting these camps to monitor development created by threats of war between Afghanistan and the United States may not fall victims to any eventuality there.
Considerable hatred prevails for the foreign journalists in the hearts of the Pushtoon as they think that it is due to the poisonous propaganda of these journalists that the world has started raising accusing fingers on Osama for terrorist attacks in the United States.
The Afghan refugees are trying to attack these journalists and snatch cameras from them out of the hatred that they have developed in their hearts for their poisonous propaganda against the Muslims. Sometimes the refugees adopt highly insulting behaviour with these foreigners. Personnel of law enforcing agencies performing duties in these camps have said that situation in this connection deteriorated in these camps during the last few days and as a result the NWFP Governor had to adopt strict security arrangements for the security of these journalists.
Meanwhile, press information department, NWFP and Commissionerate Afghan Refugee, Peshawar refused to allow foreign journalists, including BBC and CNN teams, to enter the refugee camps of Jalozai, Shamshtoo and Nasir Bagh. These journalists were intending to interview the inhabitants of the camps. On this refusal the journalists had to return disappointed.
According to details that a team of journalists hailing from the Muslim country, Lebanon went to Jalozai Afghan refugee camp to questions inmates of the camp about the Taliban’s stand but the security personnel deployed at the entry gate of the camp told them that they cannot be allowed to visit the camp. On their query the security personnel said that since they have not let the BBC team how it is possible for them to let them.
The security official informed them that they could not get anything in the camp. They directed them that they should visit the PID and get NOC from a competent authority for getting permission for the entry.
When the team reached the PID, a senior officer, informed the team members that since high-ups have imposed a ban on the entry of journalist in the camps, therefore they could not let them to enter the camp. He also said that no team either from BBC or VOA was allowed to enter the camp.
Journalists are shuttling between Islamabad and Peshawar to get latest situation about the impending US attack on Afghanistan from the people living close to border areas have complained that they have to face troublesome situation off and on due to wrong information of the security staff deployed on refugee camps in Peshawar.
According to details the journalists after attending a press conference of Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad about the decisions of the Afghan clerics the journalists rushed towards Peshawar to know-views of the Afghans living in refugee camps over the decision of the Afghan clerics. These journalists hail from European and Arab countries. The journalists have expressed profound regret over the maltreatment meted out to them. They have said that this state of affairs result in maligning Pakistan. Journalists of the Muslim countries have said that these guards should be directed to treat the foreign journalists in good way so that negative impression which they have developed against Afghans and Pakistani Muslims could be dispelled.
Source: Business Recorder
Date:9/24/2001
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