Sediqullah Tawhidi, Chairman of NAI, and NGO supporting open media in Afghanistan, Thursday accused the Pakistani intelligence service (ISI) of trying to deprive people of access to unfiltered information about the ongoing situation in Afghanistan by banning Afghan TV channels in Pakistan.
The Afghan Minister of Information & Culture (MoIC) Syed Makhdoom Raheen said that efforts were underway to get to the bottom of the issue, and reach a solution with Pakistan through diplomatic channels.
However, NAI has strongly condemned the move and directly accused the Pakistani intelligence service (ISI) of intercepting and blocking Afghan TV channels. The media activists argued they were attempting to cut Afghan refugees off from uncensored information about ongoings in Afghanistan.
"The Pakistani Intelligence Service (ISI) is trying to deprive the Afghan refugees of information," Tawhidi said.
Minister Raheen said that he was coordinating with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA) to settle the issue with Pakistan.
"I have requested the Ministry of Foreign Affairs discuss the matter with the Pakistani Ambassador so that our countrymen in Balochistan province and other parts of Pakistan aren't deprived of information," Raheen said.
In the past, Afghan TV channels have been banned in Pakistan. Reportedly, they have been interrupted in Balochistan province, near the Afghan border, as well as in the large Pakistani cities.