The Afghanistan Media Support Organisation (AMSO) has strongly condemned the Pakistani government after the arrest of Afghan journalist Hamoon Khamosh and his family in Islamabad. The organisation claims this is part of a broader pattern of intimidation, detentions and forced expulsions of Afghan media professionals by Pakistani authorities.
According to AMSO, Khamosh may soon be sent back to Afghanistan—a country where journalists face strict censorship, threats and arbitrary arrests. Khaama Press reported that many Afghan refugees who fled to Pakistan for safety are now living in constant fear for their safety. Over the past month, Pakistani forces have reportedly captured and deported six Afghan journalists. Most of these individuals had already escaped the political pressure and direct security threats that previously pushed them out of Afghanistan.
AMSO warned that the conditions in Pakistan are now “dangerous to life and dignity” for those who sought exile. While many expected Pakistan to be a temporary refuge, it has turned into a place of uncertainty and anxiety. Human‑rights advocates are urging Pakistan to cease deportations and restore visa services immediately, as forced return could endanger these journalists further.
Last month, several Afghan refugees shared that Pakistani police continually apply pressure on them. Besides conducting random searches, the officers are alleged to detain people and exploit their vulnerable situation for personal gain. A report in the Afghan‑based newspaper 8AM Media, also known as Hasht‑e‑Subh Daily, stated that refugees in Pakistan are denied basic human rights and live in a climate of fear. Human‑rights groups and refugee‑support organisations appear silent despite the lack of governmental accountability.
With ongoing tensions between the Taliban and Pakistan, Islamabad has intensified its scrutiny of Afghan refugees. Pakistani security forces have been harassing migrants daily—including in areas such as Islamabad. In addition to official arrests of undocumented refugees, there are reports of men in plain clothes extorting money from residents in local neighborhoods. Refugees describe their living conditions as inhumane, filled with dread, and lacking respect for their refugee protections.
One Afghan national recounted:
> “The situation is extremely distressing. I wish the official operations team would simply arrest and take people away. This method is not right; the police know no one will report them, so they come individually for searches. Several men in plain clothes lie in wait in the neighbourhood, grab someone, and take them away. It is unclear whether they are police, thieves, or cooperating with the police. Now, even if an ordinary person commits theft or kidnapping under the name of the police, people assume he is a police officer.”
Another refugee, Junaid, described an encounter with a man in plain clothes:
> “He introduced himself as a police officer and asked for my visa. I asked: Who are you? He said he was police. I asked him to show his card. He treated me violently and said that if I talked too much, I would be arrested. I tried to resist, but then two other men arrived and told me to get into the car. I had to pay 15,000 rupees for my release. Now we do not know who is police are. It is clear they have realized that migrants have no one behind them and are using this situation to fill their pockets.”
These incidents illustrate the precarious situation of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, who remain in fear of arbitrary detention and exploitation.
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