Fawzia Koofi, a former member of Afghanistan's parliament, has reacted to the suspension of BBC's FM radio broadcasts in the country by criticising some of the broadcaster's journalists who work in local languages.
Ms. Koofi stated that these BBC journalists have consistently portrayed the situation in Afghanistan as better than the reality and have continuously broadcast interviews with Taliban officials. She believes this approach has helped normalise the situation under Taliban rule.
The Afghan politician described the suspension of BBC broadcasts as a "lesson for other media." She stressed that media outlets should not compromise the principles of truthfulness and reporting accuracy for the sake of gaining access to information or maintaining other relationships.
According to Koofi, the primary responsibility of the media is to provide impartial and accurate reporting, even if it leads to restricted access to official sources. She argued that sacrificing journalistic principles ultimately harms the credibility of the media outlet itself.
This criticism comes as the Taliban government has imposed severe restrictions on free media since regaining control of Afghanistan in August 2021. According to media support organizations, dozens of outlets have closed, and hundreds of journalists have either left the country or lost their jobs.
The Taliban government has suspended BBC's FM radio broadcasts across Afghanistan, although its programming remains available on shortwave, medium wave, via satellite, and online. The move is seen as part of a broader crackdown on both international and domestic media in Afghanistan.
