By Rana Malhi
ISLAMABAD
Everything changed for Darya Neshat after the Fall of Afghanistan in 2021. Her school barred her from teaching, and years of effort collapsed in a single moment.
Growing up in a traditional and conservative community back in Afghanistan, where pursuing an education was an impossibility, Darya was used to constant resistance. She studied, then volunteered as a teacher, and took paid courses to cover her expenses. When she entered university in Panjshir, she felt she was finally moving toward the life she wanted. Even as she faced criticism and verbal harassment, she continued teaching during the day, studying late into the night, and writing articles that were later published by the Panjshir Department of Information and Culture. She also worked with a civil society group to support young girls interested in writing.
Soon after the Fall in 2021, she joined female teachers in peaceful protests as education for girls and women came under threat by the Taliban. Their first demonstration took place just 15 days after the province fell. As Taliban control tightened, threats increased. Many women withdrew, but Darya continued despite anonymous calls and written warnings.
Darya is just one of the many others stranded in Pakistan. Along with her, there are 40 other Afghan women’s rights activists and their families, who also remain stranded here, having fled the oppressive Taliban rule, and facing serious risk if forced to return to Afghanistan. These women have survived violence, detention, and threats only because of their activism. Many are well known to Taliban authorities, putting them at imminent risk of imprisonment, torture, or even death.
But these challenges in life have not stopped them from their advocacy. Even today, they continue to try and raise awareness internationally about the plight of Afghan women under Taliban rule. Their presence in Pakistan can also contribute to broader efforts against extremism in the region.
In the beginning there were about 60 such women and their families. Since March 2025 they have been seeking help for relocation. While 20 of these families have already been resettled in Brazil, and four more are expected to leave soon, the remaining 40 have no safe legal pathway and are living in extremely precarious conditions.
Darya’s journey
When the Taliban raided Darya’s home in September 2022, they detained her, her father, and her two minor brothers. She spent days in a cold cell without food, and during questioning, the Taliban tortured her father in front of her. After 15 days, she was released on bail and placed under house arrest. A second arrest followed months later at a checkpoint, after which she was interrogated again and returned to house arrest.Her mental and financial situation worsened. In 2023, the Taliban threatened to forcibly marry her to a fighter unless her family cooperated. With no choice, her father arranged for her and her younger brother to be smuggled into Pakistan. She had to leave her elderly parents behind, as well as another brother who remains in Taliban custody.
For over a year now, Darya has been living in Pakistan, hiding from police and fearing deportation. Through an NGO ‘Food for Thought Afghanistan’, she has entered the relocation process to Brazil, but continues to live with the fear that returning to Afghanistan will put her at immediate risk of arrest and violence.
Saida’s story
Another young activist among these 40 Afghan women is Saida Kawsar Hashemi, a 14-year-old girl.
Saida grew up in a home where both her parents were deeply committed to public service. Her father was a journalist who ran a radio and television platform, often reporting on issues that powerful groups wanted silenced. Because of his work, threats were constant, and the family lived with the knowledge that he could be targeted at any time. Saida’s mother is a human rights defender who supports widows, poor families, and girls in need. Their work made them frequent targets. Messages, warnings, and surveillance were constant reminders of danger.
When the situation in Afghanistan became too dangerous, the family had no choice but to flee. Their journey to Pakistan lasted five days and nights, with little food, little sleep, and constant fear. Upon arrival in Islamabad, they faced additional challenges: hotels refused to accommodate them, and they were temporarily placed in a dark, unsanitary basement room. Eventually, they moved into a proper house, but life remained difficult.
In school, Saida struggled with English and Urdu, as her education in Afghanistan had been limited. She was initially told she belonged in kindergarten despite being ten years old. Determined to catch up, she promised herself she would study harder than anyone, learn everything she could, and show that Afghan girls are strong. She has since learned English and Urdu, working tirelessly at home to catch up.
Even after fleeing Afghanistan, threats continued. The family lived in fear, unable to move freely, work, or access basic services. They applied to UNHCR nearly four years ago, but their case remains unresolved. Most recently, Pakistani authorities detained them and held them in the Haji Camp, a dark, cold, and overcrowded facility. The family was released only after intervention by Food for Thought Afghanistan.
Today, Saida dreams of a safe life with her family, access to education, and freedom from constant fear. Her story illustrates the vulnerability of Afghan children and families in exile and underscores the urgent need for protection and safe relocation.
Latifa Shujai, a prominent human rights activist and leader in Afghanistan’s women’s movement, is also among the Afghan women defenders stranded in Pakistan under imminent threat of deportation.
Latifa hails from Nili, Daikundi Province, and belongs to the Hazara community, historically marginalized and subjected to systemic violence and discrimination due to their ethnicity. She graduated from the Afghan Police Academy in 2009 and later earned a Master’s degree in Criminal Law and Criminology. Over 16 years, she served in key positions across Afghanistan’s Ministry of Interior, including the Human Rights Department, Women’s Prison, and special operations units. She also led cultural initiatives and founded the Elite Women’s Movement of Afghanistan to empower women and advocate for education and justice.
Despite her professional and civil achievements, the fall of Afghanistan in 2021 forced Latifa to flee. The Taliban imprisoned her brother for 27 days, repeatedly attempted to arrest her, and placed her on a wanted list. Her activism, visibility, and ethnic identity made her a high-risk target for arrest, torture, and even execution if returned.
After reaching Pakistan, Latifa and her family continued to face threats. They are now living without legal visas in Swat and are being subject to Pakistan’s recent orders to deport undocumented Afghan migrants. Multiple police detentions and bribe demands have heightened their fear. Her family’s daily life is restricted; they cannot go outside safely, work freely, or let their children play. Any movement could lead to immediate arrest and deportation back to Afghanistan, where the Taliban would target her again.
Latifa’s situation illustrates the double danger facing Afghan women defenders in Pakistan: the risk of forced return to Afghanistan, where her life is at immediate risk, and persecution in Pakistan due to lack of legal protection. Her story highlights the urgent need for safe relocation.
Through her activism, Latifa has continued to organize protests, advocate for refugees, and support women facing forced marriage and violence, demonstrating that even in exile, her fight for justice continues. Relocation is critical not only for her survival but also to ensure that her work defending Afghan women and minority rights can continue safely.
The NGO focuses on protecting Afghan women at risk and helping them access safe refuge abroad. Since early 2025, it has successfully relocated several families and continues to advocate for those still in danger.
NGO statement
Meanwhile the NGO has released a statement. It says that the the police carried out overnight raids in Islamabad, beating and arresting Afghan migrants, including women human rights defenders, and handed them over to the Taliban. Food for Thought Afghanistan, along with UNHCR and some embassies handling asylum cases for these women, has tried to prevent their deportation. Despite these efforts, forcible deportation continues.
Pakistan has become the most dangerous place for Afghan women human rights defenders. They are being forced to return to a Taliban-controlled country, which is effectively a death sentence for those brave women who spoke up for their rights. Human rights organizations have repeatedly expressed concern over Pakistan’s aggressive policies and condemned the forcible deportation of Afghan women defenders, urging the government to reconsider its policy. Instead, the Pakistani government has intensified arrests and deportations of Afghan migrants, citing increasing crime as justification.
Food for Thought Afghanistan, which has successfully relocated 38 women human rights defenders and 148 members of their immediate families to Brazil and France, appeals to human rights and humanitarian organizations to join efforts to immediately protect these women from deportation.