Sacked Afghan TV chief refuses to go

The Telegraph (U.K.) ^ | 07/02/2002 | David Blair

[Pokey78]

The head of Afghan television was refusing to leave his post yesterday after he was sacked for banning women from the airwaves.

Abdul Hafiz Mansoor, the president of Kabul TV and Radio, tore up an order by Sayed Makhdoom Raheen, the information minister, and refused to move out of his office.

He has banned the female singing voice from Kabul's broadcast media, although Afghanistan's second city of Kandahar imposes no such restriction.

Mr Mansoor said yesterday that he would give up his post only if ordered to do so by President Hamid Karzai. "I did not receive any orders from Karzai to step down, but if they come I will respect it, 100 per cent," Mr Mansoor, a former Northern Alliance member said.

"I was on the frontline fighting al-Qa'eda to enter Kabul," he added. "For 23 years, I was in the centre of wars . . . and what did Raheen do? Nothing."

Mr Mansoor served briefly as information minister after the fall of the Taliban regime last year. Mr Raheen, his successor, has already made one failed attempt to sack him from the television post.

Mr Mansoor was also instrumental in taking Sima Samar, the former women's minister, to court for alleged blasphemy, although the case was not pursued.

[Notforprophet]

Where is all the outcry from N.O.W. and the other feminazis?

[quark]

"Abdul Hafiz Mansoor" = Pashtu for "Albert A. Gore"

[solzhenitsyn]

Sounds like a interesting test for Karzai (whom I've liked so far). If he can't fire this bozo, how firmly can we expect him to deal with the warlords?

[Dialup Llama]

Pick up your cheese and go home!

[Dialup Llama]

> "For 23 years, I was in the centre of wars . . .

Quite a resume.