Kabul, Jan 11 (NationPress) Ubaidullah Ahmadi, a freelance journalist from Afghanistan, has been apprehended by authorities in Islamabad, Pakistan. This incident raises significant alarm over the wellbeing of journalists in exile who may face compulsory deportation, according to local media reports.

The circumstances surrounding Ahmadi's arrest remain ambiguous, and there has been no official commentary from the Pakistani police about this incident. His detention aligns with a broader effort by the Pakistani government to conduct house-to-house checks in Islamabad aimed at locating undocumented Afghan migrants eligible for detention and forced deportation, as reported by Afghanistan's news agency Khaama Press.

Media professionals and advocacy organizations observing the situation indicate that numerous Afghan journalists have been detained during these operations, most lacking any legal safeguards. This situation leaves them vulnerable to arrests, harassment, and potential deportation under Pakistan's strict immigration laws.

Many of the detained journalists have expressed that a forced return to Afghanistan poses a severe threat to their lives, given the ongoing dangers from current authorities. The arrest of Ahmadi has reignited worries among human rights advocates and media groups, who have consistently urged Pakistan to protect exiled journalists and honor its commitments to press freedom.

In December 2022, the media watchdog Reporters Without Borders (RSF) reported that Pakistan forcibly sent back at least 20 Afghan journalists to Afghanistan in 2025, violating international refugee protections, as noted by Afghan media outlet Amu TV.

RSF’s documentation, alongside Pakistani media sources, asserted that the expulsion of Afghan journalists constitutes a clear violation of the international principle of non-refoulement. It highlighted that numerous other Afghan journalists residing in Pakistan face threats of arrest, extortion, and immediate deportation.

Approximately 200 Afghan journalists fled to Pakistan following threats from the Taliban after the group seized power in Afghanistan in 2021. Many of these individuals are awaiting relocation to Western countries with the support of RSF; however, the process has faced significant delays, leaving applicants in a state of legal uncertainty.

RSF indicated that since mid-2025, Pakistan has seldom issued residency permits to Afghans, putting thousands, including journalists, at risk of being labeled as illegal. Furthermore, RSF noted a sharp rise in arbitrary arrests, detentions, and deportations of Afghan journalists over the past six months.