Taliban Bans Live Broadcasts, Halts National TV in Paktia

DID Press: Following a Taliban government order banning the broadcast of live images, national television operations in Paktia province have been suspended, and local media outlets face severe restrictions.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center reported that after the government issued the prohibition on airing live footage, national TV in Paktia stopped visual broadcasts and is now only transmitting radio programming. According to the order, local Taliban officials are prohibited from giving interviews or providing reports to visual media, and are only allowed to submit content in audio or written form.

The restriction has also disrupted the visual operations of the state-run Bakhtar news agency as well as local outlets including Nan, Zhwandoon, Hawa, Patanghar, and Samkani-Ghar.

The Afghanistan Journalists Center described the move as a violation of media freedom and called for its immediate repeal.

The ban is not limited to Paktia; it has also been implemented in 22 other provinces.