NILI: Radio Nasim, a popular local media outlet in Daikundi and Bamyan provinces, has announced the cessation of its broadcasts after 13 years of operation. In a statement posted on Facebook on Monday evening, the radio said: “For thirteen years, we have been the voice of hope, love, awareness, and life. From the heart of the mountains, alleys, and villages of Daikundi and Bamyan, we shared in your pains and joys; we listened, spoke, cried, and laughed. But today, with heavy hearts, we must say: we can no longer continue.” The statement further stated: “Our cessation of broadcasts does not mean the end of our love for this path; rather, it is a sign of a time that is sometimes more ruthless than it can bear.” The radio promised to resume operations if conditions allow. The decision to halt operations came after Taliban intelligence forces detained Sultan Ali Jawadi, the station’s director, and two journalists, Saifullah Razai and Mujtaba Qasemi, last week, only to release them after several hours. The Taliban had previously detained journalists from the station multiple times and closed its office. Sultan Ali Jawadi had been sentenced to one year in prison in the past but was released earlier this year under a pardon from the Taliban leader for Eid al-Fitr. During its years of operation, Radio Nasim broadcast political, cultural, and social programs for listeners in Daikundi and Bamyan, holding a unique position among local media in these regions. This comes as Reporters Without Borders issued a statement warning about the recent arrests and torture of journalists by Taliban intelligence forces in Afghanistan, describing these actions as part of an ongoing campaign to suppress independent journalism.
