RASC News Agency: Azadi Network, in collaboration with Reporters Without Borders (RSF), has recently unveiled the “Support Center for Afghanistani Journalists” project in Pakistan. This initiative seeks to extend assistance and support to Afghanistani journalists compelled to seek refuge in Pakistan due to the Taliban’s control over Afghanistan. These journalists have been compelled to forsake their profession, grappling with numerous challenges in their lives in Pakistan.
To tackle these issues, the Azadi Network, under the leadership of Iqbal Khatak, the Executive Director, has initiated a pilot project named the “Afghanistani Journalist Support Center.” This project, financially supported by the European Union, was inaugurated on December 6 in Islamabad, with an anticipated impact on approximately 100 journalists currently living in exile.
The project encompasses diverse facets, including advocating for the safety of journalists in exile through engagement with Pakistani policymakers and decision-makers. Moreover, it aims to empower these journalists to continue their work in the host country by organizing capacity-building workshops for both Pakistani media professionals and their Afghanistani counterparts. Legal assistance will also be extended to address any legal challenges faced by these journalists.
Despite the project’s launch, Afghanistani journalists in Pakistan persist in facing economic and administrative difficulties that significantly impact their lives. The registration process with the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) has been sluggish, notwithstanding the presence of nearly 200 Afghanistani journalists in Pakistan.
