Paris, March 7 – Reporters Without Borders (RSF) has raised the alarm over Pakistan’s aggressive crackdown on Afghan refugees, particularly exiled journalists seeking safety in the country. As tensions escalate between Islamabad and Kabul, the press freedom watchdog accuses Pakistani authorities of using border skirmishes as a pretext to detain and deport vulnerable media professionals.
The organization highlights a disturbing pattern: since late February, when Pakistan declared an ‘open war’ with Afghanistan, Afghan journalists in Pakistan have faced repeated arrests and threats of expulsion. RSF reports that these individuals, who fled Taliban oppression, now risk returning to a homeland where their lives hang in the balance.
In the past week alone, several journalists have been rounded up amid rising military frictions. These detentions form part of nearly 20 cases documented by RSF since early 2026. Over the last 15 days, around six RSF-supported journalists were forcibly repatriated, bringing the total since January to nine.
One journalist shared a harrowing account: ‘Since February 27, police have been conducting relentless raids in our neighborhood targeting Afghans.’ Others report abuses by Pakistani military personnel, including demands for exorbitant bribes. In a chilling testimony, a detained journalist revealed being coerced to pay 115,000 PKR (about $400 USD) for release and to avoid deportation, only to be evicted by his landlord the next day.
These media workers escaped Afghanistan due to Taliban-imposed restrictions on press freedom. Celine Mercier, head of RSF’s South Asia desk, condemned the actions as arbitrary and vengeful. ‘These are professionals who fled Taliban threats. Arresting and deporting them exposes them to arrest, violence, or worse upon return,’ she stated.
Mercier urged Pakistani officials to halt immediate arrests and deportations, ensure journalist safety, and uphold the non-refoulement principle, which prohibits returning refugees to places of peril. This crackdown is part of a broader Pakistani policy initiated in 2023 to expel Afghan refugees amid ongoing tensions with the Taliban regime.
RSF’s call underscores a growing crisis at the intersection of geopolitics and human rights, where exiled journalists bear the brunt of state retaliation. As the situation unfolds, the international community watches closely, demanding accountability and protection for those defending truth in exile.