Institutions supporting freedom of press in Afghanistan have blasted government for not providing information to media outlets and journalists in a timely fashion. 

They have reiterated calls to government to deliver on its commitments regarding access to information for the media. 

But government has claimed that it has taken appropriate measures to implement the bill and help journalists access information when needed. 

However, media outlets have raised concerns over the perceived reluctance to release information to journalists in the past few weeks. 

NAI – an organization supporting open media in Afghanistan - has asked government to ensure the proper implementation of the access to information law.

“Regarding the attack on the house of parliament member Mir Wali (on Wednesday night), the media was not provided with necessary information. Government must ensure the implementation of documents it signs. Our local media always face problems when it comes to the issue of access to  information,” said NAI chairman Mujib Khelwatgar. 

President Ashraf Ghani has in the past himself pledged to ensure information is passed on accordingly. 

It is important that the commission dealing with access to information is changed into an institution so that we know that the information is not being withheld by certain individuals, said Ghani in one of his speeches. 

“Whenever we consult an institution regarding a particular topic, even for information which is not against national interests, it is not shared with us and also some information which is provided to us is not always completely true,” said Mohammad Haleem Karimi, an Afghan journalist in Kabul. 

“Whenever we work on a report, the first issue we face is that government institutions do not respond to our telephone enquiries, but when they do pick up the call, they hardly share any information with us,” said another journalist, Sangar Ahmadi.

“The national unity government is firmly committed to the access of information for journalists, freedom of press and freedom of speech. But there are some important topics which need to be addressed. Some media outlets consult institutions for information which they are not responsible for. Secondly, some media outlets search for information and this takes time; thirdly the information which is of a legal, judicial and security institution nature, can’t always be shared by institutions until they have completed a process,” said deputy presidential spokesman Shahhussain Murtazawi. 

But there are some concerns that the media itself is not interested in complaining about government’s reluctance to share information. 

“We have not received any kind of written complaint from media outlets; but in society we hear a lot of complaints which indicates that access to information is facing a major hurdle,” said Ekram Afzali, head of the access to information oversight commission.