Tweet prompts release of Afghan journalist and family

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 14 March 2026 |  JP Staff Report

An Afghan journalist, Abdul Ahad, his wife Sapna, and their minor children were released from Rawalpindi's Adiala Jail after the interior minister intervened following a journalist's tweet, highlighting their detention despite a court order.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — An Afghan journalist and his family were released from Rawalpindi’s Adiala Jail after Pakistan’s interior minister intervened after the issue of their continued detention despite a court order directing their release was highlighted on social media.

The journalist, Abdul Ahad, along with his wife Sapna and their minor children, had reportedly remained in custody even after a court ordered their release on March 11. The family had been detained earlier this month under provisions of the Foreigners Act.

The case drew public attention after senior reporter Mubarak Zeb Khan of Dawn posted about the detention on X and appealed for intervention by Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz.

Afghan journalist Abdul Ahad, wife Sapna, two minor children remain unlawfully held in Adiala Jail—despite a lower Islamabad court ordering their release on March 11. Both parents hold valid Pakistani visas until 2027. Appeal to CM Punjab for intervention. @MaryamNSharifpic.twitter.com/9cTg0lqzJx

— Mubarak Zeb Khan (@mubarakzebdawn) March 13, 2026

Authorities had detained the family on March 4 from Islamabad’s Sector B-17 and transferred them to Adiala Jail. According to Khan’s posts, both Ahad and his wife held valid Pakistani visas until 2027, raising questions about the legal basis for their continued detention after the court’s order.

Social media pressure prompts swift response

Within hours of the posts circulating online, Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi intervened and ordered the release of the journalist and his family.

Senior journalist Hamid Mir later confirmed the development on X, stating that the interior minister had directed authorities to release the family because their visas were valid.

Interior Minister @MohsinnaqviC42 ordered the release of Afghan Journalist Abdul Ahad and his family because they all had a valid Pakistani visa. Thanks for taking a very quick action. 🙏🇵🇰 https://t.co/LzGl4RVdWm

— Hamid Mir حامد میر (@HamidMirPAK) March 14, 2026

Mir thanked the minister for taking what he described as “very quick action,” while some journalists highlighted the case as an example of how public scrutiny on social media can accelerate administrative responses in sensitive legal or immigration cases.

Questions over detention after court order

The episode has also raised concerns about the enforcement of judicial orders and the treatment of foreign journalists residing in Pakistan.

Under Pakistan’s Foreigners Act, authorities can detain foreign nationals over immigration or documentation issues. However, in this case, journalists pointed out that a court had already ordered the family’s release days before the intervention.

The sequence of events, detention, a court order for release, and continued incarceration until public attention intensified, has prompted debate within the media community about oversight, due process, and the role of journalists in highlighting such cases.

WHY THIS MATTERS: The case demonstrates how social media reporting by journalists can trigger rapid institutional responses in Pakistan. For newsrooms, it highlights the continued importance of watchdog reporting on detention cases, immigration enforcement, and the implementation of court orders. It also underscores the risks and vulnerabilities foreign journalists may face while working or residing in the country.

PHOTO: AI-generated; for illustrative purposes