Nafees Takar
Managing Editor

Nafees’s journalistic career spans over a 13-year period, where he worked for various international broadcasting and print media organizations. Prior to joining Voice of America’s newest Pashto language broadcast, VOA Deewa Radio, as Managing Editor in VOA’s Washington headquarters, Nafees was a producer with the BBC World Service and the German radio network, Deutsche Welle.

Nafees has traveled far and wide on assignment in Afghanistan and Pakistan to cover a range of issues facing the Pashtun community. His primary coverage focus has been on Afghanistan’s debilitating civil war, warlordism in the border area, the rise of the Taleban Movement, the trans-nationalization of religious militancy, Pakistani politics, developments in the tribal regions, rising sectarianism and the growing influence of jihadi organizations, the uprising in Kashmir, economics, ethnic and religious minorities, human rights, and womens issues. His most notable interviews include various government officials, sitting and former prime ministers, opposition leaders, Taleban leaders, warlords, Kashmiri jihadi organizations, Pakistani militant groups, and al-Qaeda most wanted members Osama bin Laden and his lieutenant Ayman Al Zawahiri.

Nafees also worked as a freelance correspondent based in Pakistan and Afghanistan for various media including the Christian Science Monitor, Zuddeutsche Zeitung (German Newspaper), ANSA (Italian News Agency), Radio France (English Service), ARD (German TV & Radio Network), The Week (Indian Weekly), The Nation (Pakistan), Business Recorder (Pakistan), and The News (Pakistan).

Nafees gives his free time to reading newspapers, books and enjoys evenings with family and friends. His long stay out of his country have somewhat tempered his homesickness. However, he still has fond memories of his youth, wandering the streets in Islamabad, eating famous kebab from the small but historical town Takht Bhai and swimming in the Lower Swat River in his village Takar.