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February 02, 2026 – Afghanistan/Pakistan –
Pakistani police have detained Sulaiman Aryan, an Afghan journalist living in Islamabad, as part of an intensified enforcement campaign against undocumented migrants that rights groups say is increasingly affecting media workers. The arrest, reported on 2 February 2026, highlights the precarious situation facing Afghan journalists in Pakistan who fled their home country following the Taliban takeover in 2021 but now face legal uncertainty and heightened risk of detention.
According to sources cited by Amu TV, Aryan was taken into custody on Monday amid broader operations targeting Afghan nationals over visa and documentation issues. His detention comes amid a spate of similar arrests in recent weeks, with the Afghanistan Media Support Organisation (AMSO) reporting that at least five Afghan journalists and media workers have been held by police in Islamabad during the past fortnight. Many were released only after intervention by advocacy groups.
AMSO noted that those detained include reporters such as Samim Forough Faizi and cameraman Ata-ul-Rahman Shirzad, as well as members of the same media family. Due to ongoing security concerns, the organisation is withholding the identities of some individuals still affected. The group described the detentions as evidence of an “insecure and unstable” environment for Afghan media practitioners residing in Pakistan.
The rights body explained that Pakistan has largely halted visa renewals for Afghan refugees, leaving many without valid legal status and vulnerable to arrest and potential deportation. Afghan journalists in the country have lived in a state of limbo, dependent on temporary documentation and lacking sufficient legal protection, making them susceptible to immigration enforcement measures that may not distinguish between refugees and other migrants.
Advocates are urging international organisations, including the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) and press freedom groups, as well as governments that have pledged to resettle Afghan refugees, to take urgent steps to ensure the safety and legal rights of journalists in Pakistan. They warn that without structural protections, media workers risk detention, loss of livelihood, and forced return to Afghanistan, where independent reporting can result in persecution.
Pakistani authorities have not publicly commented on Aryan’s arrest or the broader pattern of detentions involving Afghan journalists. Rights groups continue to monitor the situation and press for diplomatic and legal support to safeguard media freedom and refugee protections in the region.
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