Officials at the Qatar Broadcasting television have decided to stop the airing of the Ramadan television drama “The Road to Kabul” on the notion that the drama was not complete in a technical sense. Management had made a public announcements that due to technical issues it does not make any sense to air the drama because it will have no true meaning.
An anonymous Islamist group had threatened everyone who took part in the drama in addition to all television stations who broadcast it. The threat was posted on the Internet and clearly said that anyone who has anything to do with airing the drama will be attacked, if not in the time being, their time will come in the very near future or even in one year. The threat added that no one will be forgotten no matter how long it takes to make their vengeance. The group had stressed that the facts portrayed in the drama are an insult and hold no truth to them.
An official at the Qatar television stressed that their decision is not based on the threat and that it was made before the threat surfaced. Head of Jordan’s television station also revealed that they will not air the drama because it was originally to be financed by Qatar television.
The drama is written by Jordanian scenarist Jamal Abu Hamdan, and the events revolve around an Afghan girl who falls in love with an Arab guy in London and then return together to Kabul. The writer incorporates historical events that Afghanistan went through like the time of the Soviet Union’s invasion and also the rise of Taliban.
The writer was shocked over the commotion caused by the drama stressing that he expected to find criticism from the West not from the region. He added that the drama criticizes America and tries to purify the image of Arabs, which was ruined after the September 11 attack on the US, through an innocent and humanistic story. –Albawaba.com
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
