Writer's arrest sparks widespread criticism

The detaining of a writer and bookseller Sayed Ahmad Qani, who was detained on January 10 by US-led Coalition forces in the southern province of Kandahar, has sparked strong criticism from the journalists and literacy circles. Esmatullah, a neighbour of Qani, said the coalition forces arrested Qani along with five other villagers at dawn during a search operation. Kandahar governor Assadullah Khalid confirmed the arrest, saying there might be some security reasons behind his detention. Editor in chief of Hosey magazine in Kandahar Salih Mohammad Salih said the government was too weak to prevent foreigners from committing such irresponsible acts.