NANGARHAR - In the wake of calls by local journalists in Afghanistan's Nanagarhar province to boycott the Office of the Governor for “refusing to cooperate” with them, a spokesperson for the Governor said his office was “committed” to supporting journalists and work with the media.

“We are committed to support freedom of speech, to support journalists and to facilitate their access to information,” said Governor Gul Agha Sherzai's spokesperson, Ahmad Zia Abdulzai.

Mr. Abdulzai’s comments came a day after a group of local journalists and writers reportedly decided at a meeting in the eastern province's capital, Jalalabad, to boycott coverage of activities carried out by the Governor and his office. They blamed the authorities concerned for denying reporters “elaborate and timely” information, according to the Pajhwok Afghan News (PAN).

PAN cited the head of Journalists and Writers Association in the country's eastern region, Lal Pacha Azmoon, as saying that many high-ranking officials recently visited Nanagarhar, but the Governor’s office did not share details of the visits with the local media.

In his comments, Mr. Abdulzai said the high-ranking officials had journalists travelling with them and the Governor's office did not invite local journalists because their organizations were already represented amongst the travelling media.

Afghanistan’s eastern region – comprising the four provinces of Nangarhar, Laghman, Kunar and Nuristan – has experienced strong growth in its media sector since 2001, when there was only one state-run radio and television station in each province. Currently, there are 22 radio stations and five television channels. Many Kabul-based and international media outlets have representatives in the region.

In a series of television and radio round-table discussions, organized by the United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA), in coordination with local media partners on the occasion of the World Press Freedom Day (3 May) across the country earlier this month, media experts and officials called for more security for journalists, their increased access to information and job security.

According to a media rights watchdog, ‘NAI – Supporting Open Media in Afghanistan,’ there have been 40 cases of documented violence against journalists between January and April this year, a 100 per cent increase compared to last year’s 20 cases for the same time period.