‘Press freedom under siege’: Nine rights groups urge Pakistan PM to act

Nine press freedom and human rights organisations, including the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and Reporters Without Borders (RSF), have urged Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take immediate steps to address what they described as a “rapidly deteriorating” press freedom environment, DAWN reports.

The organisations said journalists in Pakistan have recently faced disappearances, detention, criminal investigations, restrictions on reporting and job losses allegedly linked to pressure from government and law enforcement agencies.

The joint letter was signed by CPJ, RSF, CIVICUS, the International Federation for Human Rights, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the International Press Institute, Freedom Network, Bolo Bhi and Rural Media Network Pakistan.

The groups expressed “deep concern” over the worsening environment and warned that the developments were undermining journalists’ ability to report freely and safely.

They particularly raised concerns over the increasing use of Pakistan’s Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) and investigations by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) against journalists reporting on matters of public interest.

The organisations also pointed to restrictions on reporting in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), internet and telecommunications blackouts, regulatory action against broadcasters and new guidelines requiring journalists working for international media outlets to obtain authorisation before reporting outside Pakistan’s three main cities.

“Maintaining public order and national security, and preventing the spread of alleged false information, must not become open-ended grounds for suppressing public-interest reporting,” they said.

The groups called for the immediate release and safe return of journalists Razi Tahir and Muhammad Saif, who they said were seized and taken to an undisclosed location on August 1.

They also demanded a transparent investigation into a June attack on reporter Mian Zahid Owaisi and called for those responsible to be brought to justice.

The organisations further urged Pakistani authorities to withdraw restrictions on foreign media and end the use of internet blackouts to restrict reporting.

They also highlighted the alleged blocking of Al Jazeera’s website after the government criticised the broadcaster’s reporting on AJK.

The groups expressed concern over what they described as interference in the operations of independent broadcasters. They cited the dismissal of veteran journalist Munizae Jahangir by Aaj TV after 11 years at the station and the cancellation of her current affairs programme.

According to the organisations, Jahangir’s dismissal followed pressure from authorities and reflected a broader pattern of journalists being removed from the air after reporting on issues considered sensitive by the state or other powerful actors.

They also noted that Geo News had its broadcast licence suspended for 15 days.

The latest concerns come months after Freedom Network warned that Pakistan’s media was facing an “existential threat” amid growing restrictions, deteriorating journalist safety and job insecurity.

In its May report, titled Free Speech and Public Interest Journalism Under Siege, the organisation said amendments to PECA introduced in January 2025 had made it easier for authorities to arrest, fine and imprison journalists and dissidents, both online and offline.

“The existential threat is serious as such a situation is seen as rare in Pakistani media history,” Freedom Network Executive Director Iqbal Khattak said, warning that the crisis was threatening “the very foundation of democracy” in Pakistan.