Bilal S.
Toronto, ON, Canada
$1000 - $1000
257 reviewsEDUCATION AND BACKGROUND EXPERIENCE In many ways, I am an accidental journalist. In the tumult following the 9/11 attacks, I was swept into journalism before I had time to blink. In September 2001, I was just a salesman at a shop, doing business from the lobby of Pearl Continental Hotel in the Pakistani city of Peshawar. The attacks on US soil and the subsequent American response saw an influx of Western journalists into Pakistan. I came in contact with many of them, helping them out with daily necessities and, eventually, with information. It was here that I met a team from Abu Dhabi TV, an interaction that changed my life forever. I was absorbed into the Abu Dhabi TV team, which was headed for Afghanistan. Back in my country, I played the critical role of fixer/translator for many foreign TV channels and newspapers, sometimes even at the risk of my life. During one such assignment I met the celebrated BBC reporter Rageh Omaar, who was impressed by my hard work and put me in touch with some senior journalists at the BBC. When Kabul fell to coalition forces, I was gainfully employed with the BBC as a fixer/translator. Since I hail from the eastern province of Kunar, the BBC had asked me to accompany a team of journalists to Tora Bora, which was then in the eye of the storm. My fluency in Pashto and my knowledge of the eastern terrain pushed me to centre stage and I rapidly became instrumental in the BBC's coverage of Tora Bora and the fall of Kabul. In Tora Bora, I met several Afghan warlords, who were on the CIA payroll. My contacts helped me get BBC access to the front-line of the war, in addition to first-hand interviews with several of the warlords. During this period, I worked with about ten BBC correspondents. On my return to Kabul, I learned that the BBC was scaling back its operations. After a short lull, I got a break with ABC News. For the next one year, I worked with the likes of Peter Jennings on programs like 20/20 and Good Morning America. When Kylie Morris was appointed the BBC’s Kabul correspondent, I was once again drawn into the fold, and over the next decade I worked alongside the best names the BBC has to offer, including Andrew North, Alastair Leithhead, Martin Patience and Ian Pannel. Over this time, I made a conscious effort to broaden my horizons. I began doing two-ways for BBC Radio World Service and filed short reports for BBC online. In 2006, just when Al Jazeera English was about to start operations, AJE offered me the position of Kabul Producer at Al Jazeera English TV. I had to turn the offer down, having only just received a full-scholarship to Middlebury College, a top-ranking liberal arts college in the United States. I graduated from Middlebury College in 2010 as an Independent Scholar majoring in the central linkages between warfare, drugs and terrorism. My thesis was entitled The Farcification of Taliban, and it involved a comparison of Columbia's FARC with the Afghanistan’s Taliban insurgency. Throughout my time as a student at Middlebury, I regularly lent my hand at the BBC, acting as the middleman between the network’s correspondents and key Afghan figures. During my vacations, I filed regularly for BBC News Online from the ground in Kabul. Having obtained my Bachelor’s degree, I returned to Afghanistan and re-joined the BBC as reporter/producer, accepting a package that involved higher remuneration and more responsibilities. After over thirteen years of work, I left BBC in September this year for professional development reasons. Here is a glimpse of what my former colleagues think about me, and my abilities: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pB5nYLTb-mQ Further, as a huge fan and a regular user of social media, I have contributed a lot to promoting Afghanistan on Twitter and Facebook. As an effort to play a part in showcasing Afghanistan’s raw and natural beauty of rural and landscape, I run the “Afghanistan You’ve Never See Before” page on Twitter and Facebook. Also, in 2011, I was named in the Foreign Policy’s 100 Twitterati list. Now, with the intention to be able to write more, and cover more untold stories from across Afghanistan, I have started freelancing, doing lives for TRT, France 24, Sky and BCC World TV. I have also produced films and documentaries for VICE On HBO. This way, I believe, and I’m sure that I will be able to contribute to Afghan journalism even more. Kind regards, Bilal Sarwary _______________________________________________________________________ Bilal Sarwary – Online Articles and TV Packages Online Articles: Top al-Qaeda commander 'killed': http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/7220823.stm (I broke this story in 2008 from my college room) Corruption fears over Afghan poll: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/8206469.stm Afghan President Hamid Karzai 'plans talks with Taliban': http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16779547 Afghanistan's Nuristan province 'at mercy of the Taliban': http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21035695 What lies behind Afghanistan's insider attacks?: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19633418 Why many Afghans opt for Taliban justice http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24628136 Afghan forces up for the fight in Kunar valley http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-24546628 Lion of Kabul recruited for 'clean and green' campaign http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-22396133 Roadside bombs: 'The deadliest weapon' in Afghan war http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-22368336 Bird hunters 'emptying Afghan skies' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-23486991 Why Afghanistan's past is being 'rewritten' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18579315 Naghma, the Afghan girl sold to be a child bride http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-21245099 Taliban's Ghorband valley stronghold two hours from Kabul http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-19080234 Afghan divisions hit for six in cricket tournament http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-18394723 Analysis: What Kabul attacks say about Afghan security http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-17725266 Why Taliban are so strong in Afghanistan http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16851949 Anatomy of an Afghan 'turncoat' killer http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-14713523 Journey to Afghanistan's Taliban badlands http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-14027897 Ominous signs for Afghanistan's north http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13559494 Char Gul: The barber of Kabul http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12775259 Bin Laden death shows Afghan division http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-13362083 Life after Taliban 'rule of gun' in Takhar http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-12611767 Brave Afghan bus drivers' gauntlet http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-south-asia-11606430 Afghan President Hamid Karzai 'plans talks with Taliban' http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-16779547 Presence of Gen McChrystal in Afghanistan http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/10401824 Family devastated by Kabul embassy blast http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/7511310.stm Why many Afghans opt for Taliban justice :http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-24628136. The violent Turkish drama Afghan children love :http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-
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