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The Federation of Organisations Supporting Journalists' Rights in Exile has appealed to the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees and the International Organisation for Migration and urged them to intervene and prevent the forced deportation of Afghan journalists and media activists from Pakistan, reported Khaama Press.
As Pakistan sets the deadline to expel undocumented migrants from the country, the federation issued a joint statement with international media and journalist advocacy organisations and called for collective action to prevent the expulsion of journalists and media professionals. According to the statement, it is reported that Afghan journalists who are currently residing in Pakistan have received eviction notices from Pakistani security forces in the past two days, as stated by Afghan journalists based in Pakistan. The Federation further noted that, with the rise of the Taliban administration, thousands of Afghan journalists and media personnel migrated to Pakistan due to security threats, Khaama Press reported. "The Federation in exile urges international organisations, especially the United Nations Migration Office, to prevent the forced expulsion of Afghan journalists and media activists from the country," the statement said. However, earlier, the Federation called on the United Nations to prevent arbitary detentions and forced expulsions of Afghan journalists by the Pakistani government. Over 1.7 million undocumented migrants in Pakistan were given until November 1 to depart by the country's temporary administration, less than a month ago. Pakistan issued a warning to migrants, threatening to arrest and deport them if they do not leave the nation. Earlier today, a group of Afghan refugees started a protest outside the office of the United Nations Human Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) in Islamabad, according to Khaama Press. As many as 86,000 undocumented Afghan nationals have so far returned to their country, while one hundred and forty-nine families returned to Afghanistan in one hundred and seventy-four trucks during the last twenty-four hours. Meanwhile, according to the Pakistani authorities, nearly 200,000 Afghan citizens have voluntarily returned to their country in the past two months. (ANI)
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