Journalists across the globe enjoy great degree of freedom, financial safeguards and are guaranteed defense from politically, religiously and racially aroused extremists groups. This facade let the democratic countries blossom on the moderate principles of democracy where freedom of expression beyond any prejudices, find indiscriminate application. Conversely, press encounters enormous censure, great degree of restraint and severe and callous treatment from both state and non-state actors. Such cold hearted attitudes are occasionally witnessed in states passing through totalitarian, despotic and dysfunctional or paralyzed democratic regimes.

Afghanistan is no better in the list of ill-governed democratic state, where democracy is talked not practiced. It is an irrefutable notion; democracy encompassing all its core values lay to implementation only when customary cultures are substituted with democratic culture. This renders achievable when ground turns richer for such adoption. Nonetheless, the case is otherwise in this piece of land where biases seek sectarian, racial, religious and regional support. Everybody is discriminated on flawed aforesaid grounds. Truth lies off and falsehood dominates; the list goes on.

Formerly, an unknown gunman killed an Afghan journalist, Aqil Mohammad Wiqar who was working with Speen Ghar Radio in eastern Afghanistan. Negating the chance of personal enmity the professional life certainly accounts for his early demise. The previous year scores of journalists rendered prey to butchers. Last year 60 journalists were killed worldwide. Eight of them lost lives in Afghanistan, making it the deadliest year for journalists in Afghanistan.

According to Reporters without Borders press freedom index in the 2014, Afghanistan is ranked 128th out of 180 countries. But this period has also seen the continuation of a wave of violence against journalists than was unleashed when election coverage began last October. The Taliban stepped up attacks on the civilian population more than a year ago, and their targets have included journalists and media.

Another case that earned prominence was the death of 27-year-old local radio host Kaled Aghah Yaghubi who was gunned down in front of his children in his home in Mazar-e-Sharif, the capital of the northern province of Balkh, the previous year. The continuing wave of killing against journalists showed marked increase in violence. This was confirmed by the report released late 2014 by United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), it noted a 24 per cent increase in the number of civilians killed or wounded in attacks or other acts of violence.

Before assuming the office of presidency, President and CEO made promises to support the freedom of press. Some measures favoring freedom of information have also been begun which include modifying the access to information law, eliminating the Media Offences Commission and the planned creation of a media regulatory body under a new media law. This won’t suffice unless regulatory bodies to oversee its implementation are onset. At the same time, there have been two key decisions favoring freedom of information in Afghanistan. The parliament adopted a law on access to information. And the Council of State advised against a proposal by certain politicians for censoring the Internet and social networks to prevent the political crisis getting out of control. It’s to be remembered that any development hindering the smooth-running of media should be discouraged.

With exception to intimidation by non-state actors, state actors are equally found intimidating the journalists to gain an unrightfully favor else indescribable consequences await their fates. In that pursuit many cases are registered against some of journalists, few were imprisoned and still other fled to other countries. Over the past few years, a number of cases have been pending against different media outlets in AGO and courts on strong accusation of violating sickening professional ethics that finds only application to hapless journalists. The other public departments found of serious misappropriations are granted exemption, are devoid of consideration of professional ethics. It’s worth asking, how many public officials are interrogated for violating the so called professional ethics and how many are fired subsequent to substantial evidences found against? Without an intention to unanimously defend media, even for their ill-deeds, unarguably saying an impartial media regulatory body should be constituted, entitled to form media regulatory laws, given all stake holders are taken on board. The media faced increased financial challenges and growing restrictions with regards to access to information.

Earlier a France based independent group Reporter without Borders released Press Freedom Index 2015 that underlined grave violation of press freedom. The index stated that there were 3,719 violations of freedom of information in 180 countries in 2014 – eight per cent more than a year earlier. The criminalization of blasphemy endangers freedom of information in around half of the world’s countries,” the report said, noting that religious extremists sometimes also go after journalists or bloggers they believe do not sufficiently respect follow religion.

The Index puts Afghanistan 122 out of 180 countries with score of 37.44, just 6 degree ahead of former year. The aforesaid appreciable moves might have served the reason to bring it forth. Seeing at dismal performance of the rest of countries, we are refreshed to do a bit of good to dwindle the status quo.

Conversely, the RSF’s ranking put Iran, China, Syria and North Korea among the countries with the very worst levels of press freedom out of the 180 evaluated. The United States ranked 49, three spots lower than in the previous report, in part because of what RSF said was the US government’s “war on information” against WikiLeaks and others. The best-rated nations were northern European states such as Finland, Norway, Denmark, the Netherlands and Sweden, with New Zealand, Canada and Jamaica also making the top 10.

The functioning of media bodies, foreign or local, becoming targets for reprisal for their work as journalists might get worsened. The governments must come forth sincerely, addressing the boundless challenges Afghan media faces and must not let this very functional organ of society beleaguer.