KABUL (SW): Najib Azad, deputy spokesperson for the President, said he has submitted his resignation to the President due to the restrictions imposed on providing information to the press by a 'small circle' in the Arg (Presidential palace).
Najib Azad said he had seen “questionable” activities during his nine months of work at the Presidential Palace (Arg), which caused him to resign from his post. He added that ‘a small group’ in the Arg is trying to isolate the capable individuals, and create obstacles in their work.
“Some people inside the Arg have been trying to sabotage the achievements of the National Unity Government”, he added. He also said that he resigned a month ago, but due to interference by these people, his resignation has not reached President.
According to him, personal connections still dominate the work environment at the Arg, and meritocracy is challenged at all levels inside the Arg.
Meanwhile, before the news conference by Najib Azad, the deputy spokesperson for the President, Shah Hussain Mortazawi, has posted on his Facebook page that ‘Najib Azad is sacked due to a long absence from his duty’.
In the meantime, NAI – supporting open media in Afghanistan, has once again expressed concerns over lack of access to information to journalists.
“Reporters have not been granted access to information in its entirety, and the exact figures of the terrorist attacks and the casualties caused by these incidents are not provided to the media”, said Abdul Majid Khalwatgar, the CEO of NAI.
Khalwatgar added that access to information is one of the fundamental rights of citizens that the Afghan Constitution recognizes in the Article 50 as it states that “citizens of Afghanistan have the right to access information from government departments in line with the rulings of the law”.
However, journalists and media outlets are still concerned about the lack of access to information and have said numerous times that since the formation of the NUG, journalists’ access to information has been severely restricted.
ENDS
