Blast in front of Pajhwok reporter’s house

KABUL (Pajhwok): A bomb exploded in front of a Pajhwok Afghan News Reporter’s residence in the Batikot district of eastern Nangarhar province late on Wednesday night.  

Working for the last two years with Pajhwok, Mahbob Shah Mahbob said, the explosion was heavy but did not include casualties. Only a woman and a child were slightly injured by glass shards. 

“Being a reporter having no personal enmity with anyone, I only highlight the problems of the people and don’t know who the perpetrators are. My family members were obviously terrified,” he added. 

Batikot district head, Haji Mohammad Ghalib, confirmed the incident, saying police had been sent to the site of the remote-controlled bombing. Investigations are underway.  

Lal Pacha Azmoon, the Independent Journalists and Writer Association head in the eastern zone, condemned the act and said the culprits apparently sought to influence the reporter’s work.     

Such incidents were aimed to cause journalists mental torture and restrict their activities, Azmoon believed, asking the government to thoroughly investigate the explosion.   

Mahbob’s car was also shot at before in the same district, but he escaped unhurt.  No one claimed responsibility for the explosion.

Meanwhile, journalists of southern Helmand province denounced the explosion and asked the government to track down those involved in the bomb assault.

In a statement, the Helmand Independent Reporters’ Association condemned the blast as the handiwork of mafia groups and a challenge to the freedom of expression.

“The perpetrators of this despicable act must be awarded exemplary punishment,” the association demanded, urging civil society and media support organisations to take steps to prevent such cases in the future.

ra/mud

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