PAN, July 27, 2013

Journalist accuses governor of beating him up

"The reason why I was beaten up is the truth that I shared with my friends on Facebook. I have just expressed my views about a book Salangi is going to publish”

By Muhammad Hassan Khetab

A journalist on Saturday accused the governor of central Parwan province, Abdul Basir Salangi, of beating him in front of his friends at a restaurant in Kabul.

Basir Salangi (left) and the beaten journalist. (Photos: RFE/RL & PAN)
Video of the journalist describing the encounter ( https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?v=3295952772901&set=vb.10150126008305294&type=2&theater )

Nasratullah Iqbal, who works with a private news agency, claimed the incident took place on Friday night when he was visiting his friends at a restaurant, where the governor arrived along with his bodyguards.

He said Salangi started hitting him with a bottle as they faced each other. Salangi and his two bodyguards left the restaurant after the sordid incident, the reporter added.

"The reason why I was beaten up is the truth that I shared with my friends on Facebook. I have just expressed my views about a book Salangi is going to publish,” Iqbal revealed.

Iqbal said he had suggested to the governor not to publish the book because it would be a blunder on his part. Pajhwok tried to seek comments from Salangi, but failed to establish any contact.

But an official at the governor’s house denied any journalist had been beaten up, saying Iqbal was not a media professional. “This person is not a journalist. He just wants to earn cheap popularity.”

Iqbal said the governor later apologised for his action and now he had no complaint.

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