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Afghan Official Asks Cable TV Stations to Respect Religious Values

Posted on: Saturday, 4 February 2006, 06:00 CST

Excerpt from report by Afghan independent Aina TV on 2 February

Jowzjan Province Governor Joma Khan Hamdard had a meeting with owners of cable TV stations in his office today.

Azimollah Rahmanyar, the head of the Jowzjan Province Information, Culture and Tourism Department, also attended the meeting.

Bakhtar Information Agency reports that Azimollah Rahmanyar talked about the activities of cable TV stations and their broadcasts in Sheberghan.

There are two main cable TV stations, and one of them has a branch in Sheberghan.

Rahmanyar said that the Jowzjan Province Information, Culture and Tourism Department had been regularly monitoring programmes broadcast by cable TV stations.

He added that cable TV stations had been repeatedly asked to broadcast programmes in line with Afghan cultural values and the law and regulations regarding the media.

Evaluating the activities of cable TV stations in Sheberghan and highlighting the bravery and heroism of the Afghan people, he said: The freedom-loving and heroic people of Afghanistan have made great sacrifices during the Jihad to protect their independence and national chastity. Suffering torture, distress and disasters, they made enormous efforts to create a peaceful and friendly atmosphere in the country. We need more devotion to keep this atmosphere alive.

[Passage omitted: people's role in meeting martyrs' wishes and acting in line with Islamic values]

Cable TV stations have a duty to act in accordance with the media policy of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan and in line with Afghan cultural standards and religious values. They should seriously avoid airing programmes which seduce society and run counter to Afghan culture. They should try to air sound and informative programmes, he said.

Haji Naser, an official in charge of cable TV stations in Sheberghan, gave reassurances that cable TV officials would do their best to act in line with religious values, cultural standards and media regulations of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.

The meeting ended after the necessary decisions had been taken and cable TV officials had been advised on how to improve their programmes.

Source: BBC Monitoring Media

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