Kabul, Jan 11 Freelance Afghan journalist Ubaidullah Ahmadi has been detained by police in Pakistan's Islamabad, sparking concerns regarding the safety of exiled reporters facing possible forced deportation, local media reported.
The reason behind Ahmadi's arrest remains unclear, and Pakistani police have not yet issued any official statement regarding the detention. His detention comes as Pakistani authorities have increased conducting house-to-house inspections in Islamabad to identify undocumented Afghan migrants for detention and forced deportation, Afghanistan's news agency Khaama Press reported.
As per the media workers and advocacy groups monitoring the situation, dozens of Afghan journalists have reportedly been detained during these operations, with the majority of them remaining without legal protection, leaving them exposed to arrest, harassment and possible deportation under Pakistan's stringent migration policies.
Several detained journalists have warned that forced return to Afghanistan would put their lives at risk, considering the ongoing threats from the current authorities. The arrest of the journalist has renewed concerns among rights groups and media organisations, who have repeatedly urged Pakistan to safeguard exiled journalists and uphold press freedom obligations.
In December last year, media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) stated that Pakistan had forcibly returned at least 20 Afghan journalists to Afghanistan in 2025, breaching international protections for refugees, Afghan media outlet Amu TV reported.
Citing Pakistani media reports and its own documentation, RSF said the expulsion of Afghan journalists from Pakistan was a "clear breach" of the international principle of non-refoulement, stressing that dozens of other Afghan journalists who are living in Pakistan face fears of arrest, extortion and immediate deportation.
RSF noted that around 200 Afghan journalists had fled to Pakistan after facing Taliban threats or reprisals after the group seized power in Afghanistan in 2021. Many of these journalists were awaiting relocation to Western nations with RSF’s backing; however, resettlement processes have stalled for years, leaving applicants in legal limbo.
RSF said Pakistan has rarely extended residency permits for Afghans since mid-2025, placing thousands, including journalists, at risk of being declared "illegal," Amu TV reported. It further stated that arbitrary arrests, detention and deportations of Afghan journalists have sharply increased over the past six months.
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