Nai in Exile stated on World Radio Day, marking a significant milestone in the history of radio in Afghanistan. Although more than a century has passed since the establishment of the country’s first radio station, radio in Afghanistan has long held a special place among audiences. However, it has now become the Taliban’s largest propaganda instrument.
The statement, released on Friday, February 13, said that the golden era of radio in Afghanistan dates back to the two decades of the republican system, when the medium experienced both quantitative and qualitative growth, reached the most remote villages, and broadcast programs in Dari, Pashto, and other local languages.
During that period, the number of radio stations increased from a single nationwide broadcaster under Taliban rule during their first regime to more than 350 national and local stations.
Following the Taliban’s return to power and after the Doha Agreement, media outlets and freedom of expression in Afghanistan have been severely restricted.
Music broadcasts have been banned, women’s presence in radio stations has been limited or eliminated, and many outlets have been turned into propaganda tools for the group.
Transmission equipment and signal boosters for regional and international radio stations have also been deactivated.
The Nai in Exile statement emphasized that radio in Afghanistan today is no longer aligned with contemporary global realities and continues to disseminate the Taliban’s narrow and propagandistic views.
