View attachment 81942
Unconfirmed - restricted yes but banned?
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Thursday voiced strong concern over the government’s newly introduced Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026, warning that the policy would threaten press freedom and further shrink the space for independent journalism in the country.
The criticism followed the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s (MOIB) announcement on Monday reminding foreign media organisations that reporting assignments outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi require prior government approval under the External Publicity Guidelines. The reminder came after the ministry accused Al Jazeera of “selective reporting” on the AJK.
In a statement posted on X, the rights body said the guidelines, “rather than facilitating journalism”, would “risk deterring independent reporting on matters of public interest”.
Calling the move “the latest in a growing pattern of restrictions on media freedom in Pakistan”, the HRCP said the country had w