Afghan government will release jailed Pakistani journalist before Eid-ul-Fitr

Islamabad: As the journalist community around the world observed 200 days in jail for three Al-Jazeera journalists, Pakistani journalists were assured by the Afghan Ambassador in Islamabad, that a young Pakistani journalist Faizullah Khan facing four year sentence for entering Afghanistan in search of a story, without travel document, would be released before EID.
Pakistani journalist community once again emerged as united force during countrywide protest for the release of Faizullah Khan, an ARY correspondent, who is in the custody of Afghan authorities for the past two months and was charged and convicted.
The protest was held at a time when 200 days were completed by the three journalists arrested by the Egypt government. Al-Jazeera, also released their rare picture, wearing prisoner’s cloths and behind bar.
It was also good to see noted anchor Hamid Mir, who recently returned from London after treatment came to the demonstration in Islamabad to express solidarity with ARY jailed journalist, Faizullah Khan. During the protest in Islamabad, another well known anchor, Saleem Safi gave the good news and disclosed that the Afghan Ambassador told him that the Afghan President, Hamid Karzai assured that he would use his power of pardon. Earlier, Pakistani journalists had also protested against the arrest of three Al-Jazeera journalists.We only hope that this unity of journalists would further strengthen with the passage of time.
Source. Mazhar Abbas