The Afghanistan Media Support Organization (AMSO) has announced that dozens of Afghan journalists and media workers residing in Pakistan are facing the threat of forced expulsion following the decision by the country’s Ministry of Interior to detain and expel undocumented foreign nationals.
In a statement, the organization expressed its deep concern regarding the Ministry of Interior’s decision to detain and forcibly expel undocumented migrants.
It emphasized that currently, dozens of journalists, media workers from Afghanistan, and their family members who have sought refuge in Pakistan due to serious security threats are facing widespread difficulties in extending their visas and residency, putting them at risk of detention and forced expulsion.
The Afghanistan Media Support Organization further urged the Pakistani government to exempt Afghan journalists, media staff, and their families from the forced detention and expulsion program, taking humanitarian considerations into account.
The organization stated that the expulsion of journalists from Pakistan seriously endangers their lives under Taliban rule in Afghanistan.
The statement noted that freedom of expression, as per Article 19 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, is considered a fundamental right of every individual.
AMSO also called on the responsible authorities in Pakistan to provide necessary facilities for the extension of visas and residency for journalists awaiting transfer to third countries.
Additionally, the organization urged relevant UN agencies to expedite the process of transferring journalists from Pakistan to a safe country.
This comes as, following the return of the caretaker government in Afghanistan, hundreds of journalists and media workers have fled to Pakistan, seeking to move to a third and safer country.
Previously, Reporters Without Borders had also reported that some Afghan journalists who sought refuge in Pakistan after the current government came to power have been detained amid rising tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan, facing the threat of deportation back to Afghanistan.
For over a year now, Pakistan has accelerated the expulsion of undocumented migrants from the country.
