RASC News Agency: Saad Mohseni, the owner of Tolo TV, Tolo News, and Lemar, who once symbolized the promotion and institutionalization of Western values in Afghanistan during the previous government, has now become a lobbyist for the Taliban’s terrorist regime. Mohseni, whose channels were known for airing programs such as “Afghan Star,” “Baarbad,” and other “immoral films and series,” had been widely regarded as a promoter of non-Islamic and anti-national values in the country. Today, he has transformed into a vocal advocate for the Taliban. Just yesterday, he published an article urging the United States and its allies to reopen their political and consular offices in Kabul. This businessman, once considered a beacon of democracy and modern culture among Afghanistani intellectuals, has been blinded by money, failing to acknowledge the Taliban’s ethnic, terrorist, and misogynistic nature. When the Taliban took over the country, he quickly assumed the role of a spokesperson for Mullah Muttaqi, even sharing the Taliban’s propaganda on Twitter (X).
In his article published on Friday, August 30th, in The Washington Post, Mohseni argues that adopting a more pragmatic approach to engaging with the Taliban does not mean legitimizing the group or ignoring their human rights violations. He asserts that the continued isolation and sanctions have not significantly altered the current realities on the ground. The owner of Moby Group contends that “a policy of conditional engagement could be more effective in encouraging positive change.”
Mohseni suggests various ways to achieve this objective, including dialogue on shared interests such as civil projects, tax collection, reducing opium production, and improving security, along with providing targeted economic and developmental support. He advises U.S. officials to visit Afghanistan to monitor progress and further recommends that the U.S. initiate a process to assess the effectiveness of Afghanistan’s central bank in managing monetary policies. To enhance the bank’s capacity, he encourages the U.S. to enlist Turkey, Qatar, and Malaysia in training young Afghan bankers.
Moby Group, the media company founded and managed by Saad Mohseni, includes Tolo TV, Lemar TV, Tolo News, Farsi1, Arman FM, Barbud Music Studio, Kaboora Production, Arakozia Radio, and the Dariya app. If the collapse of the Republic had ten internal and external factors, one of the most significant was the media, particularly Tolo TV. Opponents of the previous regime in the rural areas often cited Tolo TV as an example of the government’s un-Islamic and anti-national stance because it broadcast some of the most morally questionable films and series (mainly Turkish) to families.
