In a move that has heightened fears for exiled journalists, police in Pakistan’s capital Islamabad have taken Afghan freelance journalist Ubaidullah Ahmadi into custody. The arrest, which occurred amid a sweeping campaign targeting undocumented Afghan migrants, underscores the precarious situation facing media professionals fleeing Taliban rule.
Details surrounding Ahmadi’s detention remain murky, with Pakistani authorities yet to issue any official statement. This development comes as Islamabad intensifies house-to-house searches aimed at identifying and deporting illegal Afghan residents. Advocacy groups and media watchers report that dozens of Afghan journalists have been swept up in these operations, many lacking the legal protections needed to safeguard their status.
Those detained express grave concerns that forced repatriation to Afghanistan could expose them to immediate danger. The crackdown has sparked alarm among human rights organizations and press freedom advocates, who are urging Pakistan to uphold its obligations to protect journalists and ensure media independence.
Reports from Afghan outlet Amu TV, drawing on data from Reporters Without Borders (RSF), reveal a disturbing pattern. In 2025 alone, Pakistan deported 20 Afghan journalists, a clear breach of international non-refoulement principles that prohibit returning individuals to places where they face persecution. RSF highlights how such actions not only violate global norms but also instill terror among the remaining Afghan media community in Pakistan, who live in constant fear of arrest, extortion, and summary expulsion.
The exodus of Afghan journalists began in earnest after the Taliban seized power in 2021. Fearing reprisals, around 200 fled to Pakistan, many relying on RSF assistance to relocate to Western countries. However, stalled resettlement processes have left them in legal limbo for years.
Compounding the crisis, Pakistan has rarely renewed residence permits for Afghans since mid-2025, rendering thousands—including journalists—vulnerable to being labeled illegal. Over the past six months, arbitrary arrests, detentions, and deportations of Afghan reporters have surged, painting a grim picture of shrinking safe havens for those who document oppression.
As international watchdogs call for intervention, the fate of Ubaidullah Ahmadi and his peers hangs in the balance, spotlighting the urgent need for diplomatic pressure to protect press freedom in the region.