Taliban Calls on Afghan Media to Promote New Government-Focused Programme

Naeem-ul-Haq Haqqani, head of the Taliban government’s Information and Media Centre, has announced a new programme titled “Government in the Mirror of Media” during a meeting with managers of Afghan media outlets, urging them to provide extensive coverage of the initiative. The meeting, held at the Information and Media Centre, was described as a session for “coordination with media managers”. Taliban officials said the programme aims to highlight the activities and performance of their administration. The request comes amid continued concerns over restrictions on media freedom in Afghanistan since the Taliban returned to power. Media organisations have reported increased pressure, censorship and limitations on news coverage, while the work of female journalists has also faced significant restrictions. The Afghanistan Journalists Centre has previously reported multiple cases of journalists and media workers being detained and facing pressure over their professional activities during the past nearly five years. In a report released ahead of World Press Freedom Day, the organisation said it had documented at least 150 cases of violations against media freedom and journalists’ rights in Afghanistan over the previous year.