[Tolo News] A special committee has been formed to probe into acid attack on a leading Afghan journalist, officials at National Directorate of Security (NDS) said on Thursday.An investigation committee comprised of NDS and interior ministry staff have started serious inquiries to track organisers of the attack.
Razaq Mamoon, a well-known Afghan author and journalist, had acid sprayed on his face by an unidentified man on Tuesday.
Mr Mamoon later blamed Iran for organising the attack in reaction to a book (Pharaoh's Footprint) he had published in which Mamoon has criticised Iran for violations committed against Afghanistan.
The newly formed investigation committee has made some progress in the probes, Lutfullah Mashal, a front man for National Directorate of Security, said.
"We want to assure you all that the issue is seriously pursued and those involved in the case will be jugged," Mr Mashal said at a presser.
Journalists' rights organisations refused to trust efforts being made by National Directorate of Security and Ministry of Information and Culture.
A bigwig at Ministry of Information and Culture emphasised that no organisation has the right to threaten journalists in Afghanistan.
"No one, including the Afghanistan's Caped President, the whole government and foreign embassies, have the right to intimidate our journalists," Mubariz Rashedi, publication deputy of Information and Culture Ministry, said.
Freedom of expression has been called a major achievement of the government in the past nine years, but journalists' rights organisations strongly doubt it.
Reporters in several provinces including Khost and Takhar strongly condemned the acid attack on Razaq Mamoon.
The attack was condemned by President Hamid
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Mr Mamoon was taken to India for further treatment today.