As Pakistan's Por Deadline Expires, Afghan Woman Journalist Braces For Uncertainty

A Career Cut Short

In a dimly lit room with peeling walls in Peshawar, a former Afghan journalist waits for news that could change her life. Once a well-known voice in Kabul's media community, her name was tied to truth-telling and fearless reporting during the republic years. But since the Taliban regained power in 2021, her career, and her freedom, have been reduced to uncertainty.

She recalls the moment her life turned upside down:
“One of my close colleagues was arrested by the Taliban. Under torture, she revealed the names of her coworkers, and mine was among them. We had shared many things in our WhatsApp group, and the Taliban had read them all. That's when I knew I could no longer walk safely in Kabul's streets.”

Flight to Pakistan

Like tens of thousands of Afghans, she crossed the border into Pakistan seeking safety. But the reality differed from her hopes. Her bid for asylum stalled, her documents remained incomplete, and years slipped by.

Also Read: Afghan Baby Born Under a Tent in Pakistan Amid Refugee Visa Crisis

“We cannot stay in our homeland, nor are we given the right to live in a foreign land,” she murmurs.“For a long time, I have endured unbearable stress, relying on medicine just to calm myself down.”

Deadline Day Pressure

That stress has reached a breaking point today. September 01 marks the expiry of Pakistan's temporary extension for Proof of Registration (PoR) card holders. From tomorrow, those who remain without legal cover face arrest and deportation. For Afghans like her, the clock has already run out.

The geopolitical context is stark. Pakistan hosts approximately 2.9 million Afghan nationals, including 1.4 million registered refugees and 0.7 million unregistered individuals. The UNHCR reported over 2.35 million Afghan refugees in Pakistan as of mid-2025.

Since late 2023, the Pakistani government has launched a multi-stage repatriation drive. Since September 2023, up to 910,000 Afghans have been deported. Now, with the grace period ending today, fears are at their peak.

The UNHCR and IOM have warned that such policies place vulnerable groups, including women journalists, minorities, and those awaiting resettlement, at grave risk. According to collected reports, nearly 80 percent of female media workers in Afghanistan have lost their jobs since the Taliban takeover.

A Plea for Protection

For this journalist in Peshawar, it's not just about staying, it's about retaining her dignity in exile. She continues to protect her identity out of safety concerns.

Her plea to Pakistani authorities remains simple yet urgent:“Either grant us more time to stay, or make the visa process easier and cheaper so that we can obtain it.” But so far, like her uncertain future, that plea goes unheard.

A Silenced Generation

Her story is not an isolated one. Scores of Afghan women who once filled newsrooms, reported from conflict zones, and hosted TV shows now find themselves silenced, either by Taliban restrictions or by displacement without support.

In her words:“On one side is the stick, on the other a tiger. I don't know which path to take.”

To be continued .

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