On May 13, the Supreme Court of Pakistan expressed dissatisfaction with the police investigation into the abduction and harassment cases of three journalists, Matiullah Jan, Asad Toor, and Absar Alam. The court ordered the Islamabad police to appoint “competent officers” to conduct a thorough re-investigation. A three-judge bench led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa […]

Protests over high wheat and electricity prices have caused significant disruption in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) since May 11, leading to the suspension of internet and cellular services in various regions. Amid the turmoil, ARY News journalist Sardar Ayaz was injured while covering the events. Organized by the Awami Joint Action Committee (JAC), the demonstrations demanded lower electricity […]

In a Supreme Court session on May 13, revelations emerged that three out of six litigants, initially part of a 2022 petition aiming to regulate media freedom, declared they never consented to the case. The disclosure came during a hearing by a three-judge bench led by the Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa. The […]

On May 3, journalists’ associations in Pakistan expressed concerns over the country’s deteriorating state of media freedom. The Association of Electronic Media Editors and News Directors (AEMEND) and the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) issued statements shedding light on the myriad challenges faced by journalists in Pakistan. AEMEND condemned the increase in attacks on journalists, with many losing […]

The Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication announced the establishment of the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) in a notification dated April 24. This new body is set to replace the Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cybercrime Wing, which has now ceased its cybercrime functions. The announcement followed remarks by Information Minister Attaullah Tarar, who expressed the government’s commitment to “safeguard the […]

Pakistan has descended two places in the 2024 World Press Freedom Index released by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) on May 3. The country now stands at 152 out of 180 nations, marking a decline from its position at 150 in the previous year’s index. The RSF report highlights that the political indicator, one of the five metrics used to compile its rankings, saw […]

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 […]