Afghan journalists in Islamabad held protests calling for their situation to be addressed by relevant organizations and countries and for their evacuations to be facilitated.

The journalists chanted the slogans: “Save Afghan Journalists” and “Afghan Journalist’s Lives' Matter."

“I have come to Pakistan for months and I face an uncertain fate. We call on the Canadian government to address our cases as soon as possible,” said Rafiullah Nekzad, an Afghan journalist.

“We call on the foreign countries and organizations supporting the media in Europe to address the asylum cases of the journalists who are in Pakistan,” said Tahir Sadid, an Afghan journalist.

They highlighted the lack of visa extensions and the high cost of living expenses as the challenges that made the situation difficult for the journalists.

“We have made our demands from Pakistan as well regarding the extension of visas for journalists and their family members,” said Esmat Ullah Darwish, an Afghan journalist.

Nadiya is female Afghan journalist who left Afghanistan several months ago in order to seek asylum abroad. Nadiya said she has worked with various media organizations in Afghanistan.

“Unless their voices are heard and their cases are accepted, the protests will continue,” said Nadiya Gulab Zada, a journalist.

The figures showed that 250,000 Afghans left their county for Pakistan last year, and this number includes many media workers and civil rights activists.