Pakistani independent journalist Haroon Janjua has won the Elizabeth Neuffer Memorial Prize at the 2026 United Nations Correspondents Association (UNCA) Awards. The honour recognises his reporting on Afghan exiles in Pakistan and the human consequences of deportations amid rising tensions between Islamabad and the Taliban.
His award-winning report, Pakistan: Lives of exiled Afghans crushed in Taliban row, was published by Deutsche Welle (DW). It explores the uncertain future facing Afghan families who spent decades building their lives in Pakistan.
Reporting on Afghan Families Facing Deportation
Reporting from Chaman in southwestern Pakistan, Janjua documented the struggles of Afghan families preparing to leave their homes with few belongings. His work highlighted children whose education faced disruption and women uncertain about their rights and future under Taliban rule.
The report examined the human impact of Pakistan’s campaign to expel undocumented Afghans. It also explored the tensions between Pakistan and the Taliban, alongside concerns about returning vulnerable families to Afghanistan.
Some affected individuals were born in Pakistan and had never known another home. Janjua’s reporting also highlighted a medical student forced to abandon her studies and families facing the prospect of rebuilding their lives across the border.
Through these personal accounts, his work brought international attention to the challenges confronting displaced Afghans. It also illustrated how political tensions and deportation policies affect families, education, and access to opportunities.
Haroon Janjua’s International Journalism Career
Janjua has more than 15 years of reporting experience across Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran. His work has covered major regional developments, including the fall of Kabul, Afghan refugees, political repression, religious persecution, and women’s rights.
He has also reported on the humanitarian consequences of conflict across South Asia. Over the years, his journalism has appeared in several international publications, including The New York Times, Deutsche Welle, The Times, The Sunday Times, The Guardian, The Observer, Fox News, BBC World Service, The Telegraph, Los Angeles Times, Nikkei Asia, South China Morning Post, and the Organized Crime and Corruption Reporting Project (OCCRP).
His reporting has earned recognition from several journalism organisations. In 2015, he received three awards: a UNCA Award, the IE Business School Prize for the best journalistic work on the Asian economy, and the Global Media Award from The Population Institute.
In 2017, Janjua received a South Asian Journalists Association fellowship. He later secured a Pulitzer Center grant in 2021, further recognising his work in journalism.
UNCA Awards to Recognise Journalists in New York
The Elizabeth Neuffer Memorial Prize adds to Janjua’s record of international recognition. His latest achievement highlights the importance of reporting that documents the experiences of vulnerable communities and brings overlooked humanitarian issues to wider audiences.
The 2026 UNCA Awards Gala is scheduled to take place in New York in December. The ceremony will bring together journalists, diplomats, and United Nations officials to recognise outstanding international reporting.
United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres is expected to attend as the chief guest. The event will celebrate journalists whose work helps audiences understand complex global issues and the lives of people affected by conflict and displacement.
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