Taliban detains two Pak journalists for spying

ISLAMABAD, SEPT 12: The Taliban government in Kabul has detained two Pakistani journalists accusing them of spying on behalf of Iran evoking strong protests from various journalist groups in Islamabad.

The two Pakistani journalists attached with the Peshawar bureau of the private news agency NNI were arrested by Taliban officials in Chaghal Sarai in the eastern province of Kunar on September 7 when they were returning from the northern areas controlled by the anti-Taliban forces of Ahmed Shah Masood. The Taliban-controlled Afghan Islamic press quoting a senior Taliban official has reported that the two journalists were arrested because they were spying on behalf of the Iranian government.

NNI sources in Islamabad said the two journalists, the agency8217;s Peshawar bureau chief Salim Shafi and a correspondent Mohammed Azam, had gone to northern areas in Afghanistan as part of their duties after obtaining proper visas from the Afghan consulate in Peshawar.

Talibans accuse Iran of helping the Northern Allianceled by Ahmed Shah Masood against Kabul and that probably prompted them to arrest the two since they were coming from the Northern Alliance controlled areas.