Stakeholders urged to solve exiled Afghan journalists’ issues

Islamabad: Pakistani media support groups endorsed the ‘Islamabad Declaration’ passed unanimously at ‘Dialogue on Assisting Afghan Media Practitioners in Pakistan’ calling on all stakeholders to join hands for collective actions to pull the refugee journalists out of current humanitarian challenges while waiting for resettlements in third countries.

“All stakeholders will support these journalists in short, medium and long-term policies about their legal stay in Pakistan, resettlement in third countries and respect to their fundamental human rights,” one of the demands made through the “Islamabad Declaration” read at “Dialogue on Assisting Afghan Journalists in Pakistan,” according to a press release issued here.

Media watchdog Freedom Network-hosted dialogue was participated by support groups such as Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists, Rawal­pindi-Islamabad Union of Journalists, National Press Club, Islamabad, Khyber Union of Journalists, Peshawar Press Club besides International Media Support, Digital Media Alliance of Pakistan, Reporters Without Borders and Women Journalists Association of Pakistan. Freedom Network Executive Director Iqbal Khattak while speaking on the occasion thanked various stakeholders including the government of Pakistan, the EU, the UN, the ambassador of France, and the media bodies of Pakistan for extending assurances for the resolution of the humanitarian problems of the dozens of exiled Afghan journalists in Pakistan.