New York [US], August 7 (ANI): Pakistan’s newest transfer to curb the motion of overseas press within the nation amid protests in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoJK) because of administrative failures has drawn widespread criticism from worldwide media organisations and rights teams, with recent considerations that the measures may additional erode press freedom and limit unbiased reporting.
The newly launched International Media Facilitation Tips 2026 issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Info and Broadcasting require overseas journalists and Pakistani journalists working for worldwide media organisations to acquire prior approval from the ministry earlier than enterprise official reporting assignments exterior Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
The rules additionally require journalists, overseas media retailers, native fixers and contributors to register with the ministry, whereas overseas journalists travelling to sure delicate areas, together with Abbottabad and Murree, should receive a no-objection certificates (NOC) even for leisure visits.
The transfer has prompted robust reactions from media organisations and human rights our bodies, who said that the laws institutionalise state management over journalism and will restrict protection of developments in Pakistan, together with the continued protests in PoJK.
The Committee to Shield Journalists (CPJ) referred to as on Pakistani authorities to instantly withdraw what it described as ‘draconian’ pointers.
‘The International Media Facilitation Tips open the door for Pakistani authorities to additional limit worldwide media protection, stop journalists from reporting freely exterior Pakistan’s three important cities, and threat exposing them to administrative retaliation,’ CPJ Afghanistan and Pakistan Consultant Waliullah Rahmani stated in a press release issued on August 6.
Rahmani stated the measures marked ‘one more appalling blow to press freedom in Pakistan’, including that journalists reporting on unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir had been already going through rising restrictions.
In keeping with CPJ, the rules had been launched shortly after the Pakistani authorities criticised worldwide protection of protests in PoJK and accused Al Jazeera of participating in ‘yellow journalism.’
The media watchdog famous that entry to Al Jazeera’s web site has since been restricted within the nation.
The rules additionally empower authorities to droop or revoke journalists’ accreditation or that of media organisations for acts deemed to be towards Pakistan’s ‘ideology, sovereignty, safety or public order’.
CPJ additional highlighted that Pakistani authorities have prohibited protection of protests demanding administrative reforms within the area after worldwide media reported on police brutality throughout clashes with demonstrators.
Cellular and web providers had been suspended within the area, and a minimum of 40 individuals had been reported useless forward of the unrest earlier than July 27.
The watchdog additionally raised considerations over the remedy of journalists overlaying the unrest, stating that journalist Syed Farhad Ali Shah started a starvation strike after being detained for greater than a month with out cost, whereas journalists Razi Tahir and Muhammad Saif have reportedly been lacking since being detained by police on August 1.
Reuters additionally criticised the restrictions, with a spokesperson stating, ‘Journalists needs to be free to report the information wherever they’re.’
In the meantime, the Human Rights Fee of Pakistan (HRCP) stated it was ‘deeply involved’ by the brand new pointers, arguing that they might institutionalise bureaucratic management over information gathering as a substitute of facilitating journalism.
‘HRCP is deeply involved by the federal government’s new International Media Facilitation Tips 2026, which, slightly than facilitating journalism, will invariably institutionalise bureaucratic management over information gathering and threat deterring unbiased reporting on issues of public curiosity,’ the fee stated in a press release.
The rights physique stated the most recent measures mirrored ‘a rising sample of restrictions on media freedom in Pakistan’, citing arbitrary curbs on reporting, rising censorship and increasing authorized and administrative limitations.
‘The requirement that journalists receive state approval to report from giant components of the nation sends a chilling message: that essential reporting is unwelcome,’ HRCP stated, urging the Pakistani authorities to withdraw the measures and uphold its constitutional and worldwide obligations to guard freedom of expression.
The newest restrictions have come amid heightened worldwide consideration on developments in PoJK, the place protests over electoral and governance points have drawn elevated scrutiny from overseas media and rights organisations amid police brutality. (ANI)
