Kabul (BNA) The Acting Minister of Information and Culture Dr. Mohammad Qasim Wafayezada said that freedom of expression and free media activity was not possible without a democratic system, Bakhtar Information Agency (BNA) reported Tuesday.
Addressing a meeting held to evaluate free media in the country and further legalization of media activity at the Government Media and Information Center (GMIC), the acting Minister said that without a democratic system there would be no freedom of expression and free media activity in the country, the agency quoted.
At the outset, Fazel Ahmad Manawi, Minister of Justice provided details about the media activities in line with the country’s law, calling freedom of expression one of the great achievements of people in the country. “Under the current sensitive condition, we have to jointly work for the preservation of the system and republic,” said the Justice Minister adding media has remarkably grown over the last two decades. He urged the media for doing more in encouraging the country’s security and defense forces and ensuring national unity and national interests. Meanwhile, Dr. Wafayezada, the acting Minister of Information and Culture said the development of mass media, independent and free publications were one of the great government and people achievements over the last two decades, according to the agency.
“We would never have big political, cultural and social change, which we had experienced over the past two decades with- out having media,” said the Acting Minister as quoted by the agency. He said within a democratic system, media is the fourth pillar, but this should be noted that if media and freedom of expression is the fourth pillar of democracy, then democracy and republic is the first pillar of freedom of expression and media.
The acting Minister also noted that observing balance and impartiality was a principle in the work of media, but this doesn’t mean that the media should be made local for rising voices that have no positive messages unless threat, creation of horror and removal of people from the political future of the country.
Nabizada
