Taliban Slams Pakistan Over 'Second-Class' Treatment of Afghan Refugees, Demands Action

• Taliban Deputy Spokesperson Hamdullah Fitrat condemned the increasing arrests, harassment, and abuse of Afghan refugees by Pakistani authorities.
• Fitrat urged the UN and other organizations to intervene and ensure refugee protection principles are upheld in Pakistan.
• UNHCR and IOM reported an 18% increase in arrests and detentions of Afghan citizens in Pakistan in early January 2026, primarily in Pishin, Chaman, and Islamabad.
• Afghanistan Media Support Organization (AMSO) expressed concern over the arrests of Afghan journalists Abdul Rahman Mangal, Asma Mohammadi, and Samim Naimi in Islamabad and Peshawar.
• Pakistan has deported thousands of Afghan migrants, including journalists and human rights activists, who had fled Afghanistan after the Taliban's 2021 takeover.

Why It Matters: Taliban and international bodies criticize Pakistan's treatment of Afghan refugees and journalists, urging respect for rights.