An exclusive interview with Abdul Qadim Wiar, the head of the Afghanistan Journalists’ Immunity Committee.
Basir Bahavar reporter
First question, can you briefly introduce yourself?
Viyar: I am Abdul Qadim Viyar, I was born in Kabul, I completed elementary school in Amani High School and then Abdul Rahman “Pajwak” High School.
And in the field of media work, he was a student at that time. I started about sixteen years ago. My first job was with Pezhvak news agency, and at the same time, I worked with a local radio, and then I worked with Afghanistan National Television and for five years with Tolo Television. And following that, I worked with Cable News TV as the head of the news department, and for ten years, I worked in the investigative department of the Immunity Committee, and recently I was elected as the head of this institution.
Reporter: When did you get appointed as the head of the committee and in what year did the immunity committee officially start its work?
Viar: It has been almost five months since I was appointed as the supervisor and the committee started its activities fourteen years ago, but with very few facilities and today there is a well-equipped office with a single formation.
Reporter: Regarding the establishment of the committee and its objectives, also name the people who played a key role in the structure and basic objectives of the committee until now, and whether foreigners also played a role in the establishment of this committee.
Viyar: The thought or idea of the committee is completely Afghan, and according to the conditions of that time, a number of colleagues were determined to form a small committee, headed by Mr. Janan Musazai, and yes, the IMS organization provided financial cooperation in the beginning and until now He is also a colleague of the committee, and in the section of the heads of the committee, it should be stated that after Dr. Sahib Najib Sharifi is responsible for the committee and until now, Dr. Sahib Sharifi is the general head of the committee.
Reporter: What is your definition of immunity and the main goals of the committee?
Immunity is very important for journalists in every way, it can be said from the legal point of view, from the point of view of work, physical work, and the immunity committee in the departments of litigation, improving the capacity of legal support, support from the perspective of providing immunity tools for journalists, in short, in all the departments where the reporter needs immunity, the committee He works with them.
Reporter: As far as we know, your activities are carried out in most of the provinces, and among other things, you had many meetings with the officials of the Islamic Emirate at the provincial level and on the creation of a single umbrella and cohesion. How satisfying were these meetings?
Viar: Yes, we have had numerous meetings and meetings with the officials of the Islamic Emirates from the center to most of the provinces, and it continues until now, and fortunately, the results are satisfactory.
And it is natural that there is a change in the system, they are about the formations of the society, about the structure of the society, what exists in the context of the society, it is clear that it is somewhat unfamiliar, but with the passage of time, the endowment between the system takes place.
Fortunately, in the meetings we had with Taliban officials, we were able to convince them that the role of freedom of expression is necessary.
Reporter: Tell me about your representative and employees, in how many provinces do you actually operate?
Viyar: We have an official representative in seven zones of the country and we have provincial partners in 34 provinces that operate under the supervision of the zones and the zones report to the center.
Reporter: Tell me about the committee’s relationship with the Ministry of Information and Culture
?
Viyar: The ministry cooperates with the committee in many areas, especially the membership of the committee with the Media Violation Commission, in other parts of the amendment of the rules of conduct and the various commissions that are supposed to be formed by them, is a good relationship.
Reporter: Recently, unfortunately, an incident happened in Balkh province and it is said that the Immunity Committee provided financial cooperation. Can you give some information about this?
Viar: Yes, unfortunately, two colleagues were witnessed in this incident. We have a total of 15 injured journalists, and after the incident, the committee’s colleagues took action, and I also had a trip to the grave, and the injured were in the Balkh diocesan hospital after the same dressing or the same initial medical measures. We transferred them to a private hospital for better treatment, which is what happened, and we, as our partners, took care of all their expenses.
Reporter: Can you give information about the committee’s relations with domestic and international organizations?
Viar: Fortunately, the credibility that the committee has for its activities in the area of journalists’ immunity, international organizations always communicate with the committee in every case, and the relations of the committee with internal institutions are completely normal and we are moving forward with the view of cooperation.
Reporter: As a last question, please mention the achievements of the committee, especially after the period of transformation in Afghanistan
Viar: Well, the achievements as we work in the media community sector, immunity in the journalists’ work sector, in the psychotherapy sector in the litigation sector, all of these are considered to be the achievements of the committee.
AfgNews24 news agency
