Nai, a media watchdog organisation, said in a statement on Tuesday that the arrest and possible deportation of Afghan journalists particularly women by Pakistani authorities is a dangerous act.
The organisation said the Taliban continue to detain, harass, and imprison journalists in Afghanistan without charge.
Nai reported that Pakistani police had arrested Afghan journalist Fatima Hamnawa, who lives in Pakistan, along with her two children. The organisation expressed concern that she may be deported to Afghanistan.
Hamnawa, like many other Afghan refugees, had been living in Pakistan on a temporary visa and was detained after her visa expired.
The Pakistani government has stopped extending visas for Afghan migrants and has deported hundreds of thousands over the past year. Human rights and press freedom groups have repeatedly warned that activists and journalists are among the most vulnerable and should not be forced to return to Afghanistan.
Nai called on the Pakistani government to release Hamnawa and allow her visa to be renewed.
The organisation also reminded authorities that Pakistan had previously pledged not to arrest or deport Afghan human rights defenders and journalists. It urged Islamabad to honour that commitment and prevent the forced return of vulnerable individuals.
In a separate statement on Tuesday, Reporters Without Borders (RSF) said Taliban intelligence agencies continue to suppress, detain, and humiliate independent journalists, treating them “like criminals.”
