Tributes for BBC Afghan reporter

By Martin Patience
BBC News, Kabul

Abdul Samad Rohani's body was found on Sunday

Hundreds of people have paid tribute to murdered BBC journalist Abdul Samad Rohani in the Afghan capital, Kabul.

Journalists and several Afghan MPs were among those at the gathering which heard calls for the government to do more to protect journalists.

A two-minute silence in honour of the reporter was also observed by local TV and radio stations.

Rohani's body was found in Lashkar Gah in Helmand province on Sunday. It is not yet clear who killed him.

Poems

Tributes were paid to the former Pashto service reporter for the BBC World Service in Helmand at Zarnegar park in central Kabul.

The memorial had been organised by Afghan journalist unions for their murdered colleague.

Some speakers read poems, a traditional Afghan mourning ritual.

Another speaker praised the young journalist for the courage and impartiality of his reporting skills.

He also called on the government to do more to protect journalists and their work.

The Afghan government has launched an investigation into Rohani's death.

But no organisation or individual has yet claimed responsibility for the killing.