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| Pajhwok Afghan News | |
|---|---|
| Name | Pajhwok Afghan News |
| Type | Independent news agency |
| Founded | 2003 |
| Headquarters | Kabul, Afghanistan |
| Area served | Afghanistan |
| Language | Pashto, Dari, English |
Pajhwok Afghan News is an independent Afghan news agency established in 2003 that produces reporting in Pashto, Dari and English for audiences in Afghanistan and internationally. The agency operates out of Kabul and maintains bureaus across provincial centers such as Kandahar, Herat, Mazar-i-Sharif, Jalalabad and Ghazni. It supplies wire services, feature reports, multimedia content, and photographic coverage to outlets including international broadcasters and print media such as BBC News, Al Jazeera, The New York Times, Reuters, and Agence France-Presse.
Pajhwok Afghan News was founded in the early post-2001 reconstruction era amid the War in Afghanistan (2001–2021), at a time when media pluralism expanded with outlets like Tolo TV, Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, Ariana Television Network, and The Kabul Times. During the tenure of the Karzai administration and the Ashraf Ghani presidency, the agency grew its provincial footprint alongside institutions such as National Assembly (Afghanistan), Supreme Court of Afghanistan, and Ministry of Information and Culture (Afghanistan). It continued operations through major events including the NATO bombing in Afghanistan, the Taliban takeover of Kabul in 2021, and the ongoing humanitarian responses coordinated with organizations like United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan and International Committee of the Red Cross.
The agency's structure comprises editorial, news, photo, and multimedia desks led by senior editors with experience across Afghan media ecosystems and international news organizations such as Voice of America, Dawn (newspaper), and The Guardian. Its headquarters in Kabul coordinates regional bureaus in provinces linked to provincial governors and local councils like Helmand Province, Balkh Province, and Khost Province. Management practices reflect interactions with regulatory bodies including the Afghan Independent Human Rights Commission and the Ministry of Information and Culture (Afghanistan), and the agency interfaces with press freedom groups such as Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders.
Editorial guidelines emphasize impartial reporting on political actors including Hamid Karzai, Ashraf Ghani, Abdullah Abdullah, Ashraf Ghani-era institutions, and current de facto authorities, while covering security actors such as International Security Assistance Force, United States Department of Defense, and Taliban leadership. Coverage priorities include civic affairs tied to Supreme Court of Afghanistan, humanitarian issues linked to United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees, developmental projects sponsored by World Bank and Asian Development Bank, and judicial matters involving the Attorney General (Afghanistan). The agency publishes investigative pieces, election reporting relating to bodies like the Independent Election Commission (Afghanistan), and human rights reporting referencing decisions by International Criminal Court-related authorities.
Pajhwok Afghan News has reported extensively on electoral contests featuring figures such as Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani, security incidents involving Taliban, Hezbollah? (note: ensure accurate actor names), and high-profile legal and corruption cases touching institutions like the Supreme Court of Afghanistan. Notable coverage includes on-the-ground reporting from conflict zones in Helmand Province and Kunduz, investigative work on provincial procurement tied to Ministry of Finance (Afghanistan), and human-interest features about displaced populations documented alongside UNICEF and International Organization for Migration. Its photojournalism documented events such as the August 2021 fall of Kabul and subsequent evacuations coordinated with foreign missions including the United States Department of State and United Kingdom Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.
The agency and its journalists have received national and international commendations from bodies including regional journalism awards, recognition by press freedom organizations such as Committee to Protect Journalists, and citations in reports by Human Rights Watch and Amnesty International. Individual reporters have been shortlisted for investigative journalism prizes and honored by Afghan civil society organizations like Free and Fair Election Forum of Afghanistan and media coalitions formed in the post-2001 era.
Pajhwok Afghan News operates as an independent news organization funded through a mix of commercial services, syndication, subscriptions, and grants from media development donors historically active in Afghanistan such as United States Agency for International Development, European Union, BBC Media Action, and international foundations supporting press development. It has partnered with international outlets and NGOs for training programs alongside institutions like Internews and International Center for Journalists.
The agency has faced criticism and controversy typical for prominent Afghan media, including accusations from political figures about perceived bias during election cycles involving Hamid Karzai and Ashraf Ghani, and operational pressures during periods of conflict involving actors such as Taliban and international military coalitions. Journalists affiliated with the agency have encountered security threats similar to those documented by Committee to Protect Journalists and Reporters Without Borders, and the outlet has navigated allegations concerning source attribution, editorial decisions, and relationships with donor organizations prominent in Afghan media reconstruction efforts.
Category:News agencies