Press Freedom and Media Safety in Pakistan 

 World Press Freedom Day 2024

Over the past year, as its role became increasingly important in a year of key political developments, the media in Pakistan experienced a clampdown with efforts to stifle free speech at all levels and the impact of previous restrictions and reprisal bearing fruit to silence the media. 

The year saw direct action against media professionals including threats, physical attacks and legal action, to regulation, and the sometimes unexplained and repeated closures to internet access and mobile connectivity. As a result, journalists and media professionals were limited in their ability to report and worked within an overly regulated and restrictive media landscape riddled with red lines and a fear of consequences. 

At the helm, the new government must ensure that the media’s ability to freely report is not undermined through a push for regulatory laws, punitive action against journalists and media professionals or through extended closures of social media platforms. The government must stay true to its word and ensure that they support free expression and media safety in the country. 

In December 2022, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had promised the implementation of the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act 2021. This implementation is still lacking and as the premier again, the premier must follow up and ensure that this law is made active first and foremost by drafting the rules of the law and establishing the Commission required under the law. 

At a time of horrific violence against journalists in Gaza with the killing of 97 journalists since October 2023, as documented by the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Pakistan must emphasize its commitment to the safety of journalists and media professionals not just domestically but at a global scale.

Key political events in Pakistan between 2023 and 2024 culminated in a general election on February 8, after much anticipation and uncertainty about when they were to be held. In the midst of heightened political activity, the role of the media was essential in ensuring timely and accurate coverage of developments including the arrest of the opposition leader and members of a political party, a caretaker government being sworn in, build up to the elections, election day and aftermath of the election. 

However, an overall environment of fear of consequences for those who pushed the boundaries in place as well as a lack of clarity about restrictions imposed resulted in a controlled and largely self censored media hampering its ability to cover general elections in a free and unhindered manner. This led to a hindered and restricted media covering the elections and all the surrounding development both in the lead up and post election period. 

Read the full report: https://www.pakistanpressfoundation.org/wp-content/uploads/2024/04/World-Press-Freedom-Day-2024-April-29.pdf