The Afghan Media Support Organization (AMSO) has expressed concern over increasing pressure and threats against Pakistani-based Afghan journalists and called for urgent action from the international community.
The organization has written an open letter to UN Secretary-General António Guterres, the High Commissioner for Refugees, the Human Rights Council, and several other institutions supporting human rights and media rights, expressing these concerns.
In the letter, a copy of which was released on October 29, it warns that dozens of Afghan journalists who fled to Pakistan after the Taliban regained power in August 2021 are now at risk of “arrest, torture, extortion, and forced deportation” along with their families.
The letter states: “Most Afghan journalists live in Pakistan without legal documents and any security guarantees, and the Pakistani government has refused to extend their visas.” Basir Ahmad deputy head of the Afghan Journalists Support Organization, told that after collecting signatures, the letter will be sent to the UN Secretary-General and other international organizations.
He added, “We have numerous reports and accounts that, unfortunately, our fellow journalists are facing very difficult conditions in Pakistan.
We wanted to be their voice, so we prepared a letter demanding justice and sent it to all journalists and media organizations. After collecting wide-ranging signatures, we will send it to the UN Secretary-General and all journalism support organizations, so that the current situation can be changed.”
The organization has urged the international community, particularly the United Nations, to demand that the Pakistani government immediately halt the deportation of Afghan journalists and provide them with temporary residence and legal documents.
The letter also calls for expediting the visa and humanitarian residence process, prioritizing journalists under threat, and providing immediate humanitarian and psychological assistance in collaboration with international agencies.
An Afghan journalist based in Islamabad, who wished to remain anonymous, told: “In recent months, after the residency visas were not extended, and now due to the tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan, the crackdown on Afghans has increased in this city.
This situation is very difficult for all Afghans, especially for those journalists who have come from Afghanistan. On one hand, there is the fear of arrest and deportation by the police, and on the other hand, the delay in processing asylum cases. All these have created serious concerns for journalists.”
According to the Afghan Media Support Organization, many Afghan journalists in Pakistan are still waiting for a response to their asylum cases from other countries, but their economic and psychological situation has deteriorated significantly.
The Pakistani government has not commented on the organization’s recent concerns and demands. However, it has previously stated that Afghan refugees pose security challenges and is attempting to repatriate them in a dignified manner rather than by force.
Earlier, several international organizations, including Reporters Without Borders (RSF) and the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), had also expressed concerns about the situation of Afghan journalists in Pakistan.
According to reports, since the Pakistani government stopped extending residency visas for Afghans, the process of arresting undocumented Afghans and deporting them to Afghanistan has accelerated.
Hundreds of thousands of Afghans have migrated to Pakistan after the Taliban takeover, including many who have fled due to threats from the Taliban and do not consider returning to their country possible. This group includes former soldiers, collaborators with international military forces, human rights activists, journalists, and others.
Afghan journalists in Pakistan have held protests, demanding that the process of relocating them to other countries be expedited and that they not be harassed in Pakistan.
Dozens of Afghan journalists in Pakistan say they have been facing various economic and social problems for several years and are waiting for a new deal to be implemented.
This statement comes as the deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan continues, with over a million Afghans returning to their country since October 2023, according to UN figures.
The Pakistani Ministry of Interior announced on August 4 that a decision was made on August 1 in Islamabad to deport Afghans holding POR cards to Afghanistan. The notification stated that the decision to deport POR card holders is part of the government’s efforts to remove illegal foreigners from Pakistani soil.
The notification also stated that the voluntary repatriation process for Afghan POR card holders would begin in August, but the official deportation process would start from September 1st.
The deportation of Afghan refugees from Pakistan began after the deadline given to Afghan POR card holders expired.
The letter states: “Most Afghan journalists live in Pakistan without legal documents and any security guarantees, and the Pakistani government has refused to extend their visas.” Basir Ahmad deputy head of the Afghan Journalists Support Organization, told that after collecting signatures, the letter will be sent to the UN Secretary-General and other international organizations.
