Kabul, Jan 18 (NationPress) The Taliban has expressed concern over the escalating issues faced by Afghan refugees in Pakistan, urging the Pakistani government to uphold refugee rights and cease the ongoing arrests and harassment of Afghan migrants, as reported by local media on Sunday.

According to Pajhwok Afghan News, Taliban deputy spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat stated in an audio message, "The challenges confronting Afghan refugees in Pakistan are worsening, with increasing incidents of arrests, harassment, and mistreatment by Pakistani officials, resulting in severe hardships for these individuals."

Fitrat called on the United Nations and other relevant organizations to advocate for the principles of refugee protection and take action in countries where refugee rights are violated.

He further noted that the return of Afghan refugees to Afghanistan necessitates economic collaboration and support.

Fitrat emphasized that the Pakistani government must be compelled to respect refugee rights, adhere to international refugee principles, and halt the arrests and harassment of Afghan refugees, as reported by Pajhwok Afghan News.

On Saturday, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and the International Organisation for Migration (IOM) indicated that the detention of Afghan nationals in Pakistan had risen by 18 percent in the first ten days of January 2026 compared to the previous week.

The majority of these arrests occurred in Pishin, Chaghi, and Islamabad.

Earlier on Thursday, a prominent Afghan media watchdog voiced deep concern regarding the repeated arrests of Afghan journalists in Pakistan and demanded the immediate release of three detained reporters.

In a Thursday statement, the Afghanistan Media Support Organisation (AMSO) reported that two journalists had been detained in Islamabad, while another was arrested in Peshawar, according to Afghanistan's leading news agency, Khaama Press. The arrested journalists include Abdulrahman Mangal, Asma Mohammadi, and Samim Naimi.

The AMSO cautioned that the arrests of Afghan journalists in Pakistan, many of whom are at risk of deportation, jeopardize their lives, especially if they are compelled to return to Afghanistan.

This group condemned the arrests as a blatant violation of freedom of expression, journalistic ethics, and human rights, urging Pakistani authorities to discontinue the harassment, arrest, and forced deportation of Afghan journalists.

The AMSO also called upon the United Nations and other international organizations to intervene in this critical situation.

Over the past year, Pakistan has repatriated thousands of Afghan migrants as part of a nationwide crackdown, impacting journalists and human rights activists. Many Afghan journalists sought refuge in Pakistan due to threats and restrictions on independent media following the Taliban's takeover in 2021.