Islamabad, March 14 (NationPress) A coalition of global press freedom advocates has addressed a letter to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, articulating profound alarm regarding the rising instances of harassment, unlawful detentions, and deportations affecting Afghan journalists residing in exile within Pakistan.

Among the signatories are reputable organizations such as Reporters Without Borders (RSF), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), and Free Press Unlimited (FPU). They highlighted the troubling fact that Afghan journalists who escaped the oppressive Taliban regime are now facing renewed threats in Pakistan.

The letter points out that the intensified crackdown by Pakistani authorities coincides with increasing military tensions between Pakistan and Afghanistan and appears to have escalated since Islamabad labeled the situation an "open war" on February 27.

"In the last week alone, several Afghan journalists living in exile in Pakistan have reportedly been apprehended and detained. This adds to the documented instances of over 20 cases since the start of 2026. Alarmingly, at least six journalists supported by RSF have faced forced repatriation to Afghanistan in just the past two weeks, raising the total to nine since January this year," the letter stated.

"The dangers they encounter upon returning to Afghanistan are immediate and predictable. In this context, deporting Afghan journalists equates to placing them at severe risk of retaliation, arbitrary detention, and potentially worse outcomes," it continued.

The organizations urged the Pakistani government to undertake prompt and decisive actions to cease the ongoing repression and fulfill its obligations.

They called for an immediate halt to the arbitrary detentions, harassment, and forced deportations of Afghan journalists in Pakistan. The group emphasized the need to adhere to the principle of "non-refoulement" to guarantee that no journalist or media worker is sent back to Afghanistan where they could face persecution, torture, or other significant harm.

Additionally, they demanded the release of all Afghan journalists currently detained solely due to their immigration status or nationality as Afghan nationals.

In light of the dire circumstances, the organizations requested the Pakistani government to establish a temporary protection framework for Afghan journalists seeking resettlement to third countries. They also called for explicit guidance for police and local authorities to immediately cease the severe harassment, extortion, and illegal detainment of journalists throughout Pakistan, particularly in the Islamabad area.