Second Vice President Mohammad Sarwar Danish, who addressed a conference on Introduction of Government’s Communication Plan for the next solar year, said the freedom of the press is a red line for peace and that it will not be compromised in the process.

Danish said there are 96 TV channels, 65 radio stations and 911 print media in Kabul, as well as 107 TV channels, 284 radio stations and 416 print media in other provinces. He says there are 1,879 active media outlets in Afghanistan and called it one of the main achievements of the country in the past 18 years.

Danish added that all cases of violation against journalists, which were more than 1,000, have been assessed by government over the past four years.

“Peace should not become an excuse for sacrificing the achievements of the past 18 years and on the top the freedom of the press and the activities of free media in the country,” Danish said. “A type of dictatorship will take over the society in absence of free media which will naturally sacrifice peace.”

This comes as the fifth round of US-Taliban talks is ongoing in Qatar.

In a new statement on Sunday evening, Taliban said the current round of talks in Doha are advancing on a step-by-step basis, adding that as the issue at hand is immensely crucial and delicate, its progression is taking place with that much care and vigilance. 

The talks during January saw an agreement regarding withdrawal of foreign forces and preventing Afghanistan from being used against others, but this round of talks are about the details and nature of these two issues, the statement said.  

Meanwhile, Haroon Chakhansuri, President Ghani’s spokesman, announced government’s communication plan for the next solar year – March 2019 to March 2020.

“This plan has two key points: first, it illustrates government’s priorities in the next solar year,” he said.

According to him, the plan is another step forward in strengthening access to information and coordination between government institutions and journalists.