Media bodies slam Pakistan's new guidelines as 'attack on press freedom'
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Islamabad: Media organisations have criticised Pakistan's newly implemented Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026, describing them as a "direct assault on press freedom" and accusing the government of restricting freedom of expression.
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) said the guidelines introduced by the government amounted to an attack on press freedom and warned that the measures could further weaken Pakistan's already low global media ranking.
"The guidelines amount to attacking the freedom of expression and putting curbs on press freedom," it said, according to Jurist News.
The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has urged the Pakistan government to withdraw the guidelines.
Waliullah Rahmani, CPJ's Afghanistan and Pakistan Representative, said the guidelines could allow Pakistani authorities to further restrict international media coverage, prevent journalists from reporting freely outside the country's three main cities and expose them to administrative retaliation.
He said the guidelines represented another "appalling blow to press freedom" in Pakistan, where journalists are already facing an intense crackdown, particularly those reporting on unrest in Pakistan-occupied Kashmir (PoK).
According to the CPJ, the guidelines were introduced days after the Pakistani government criticised international media coverage of elections and protests in PoK and accused international broadcaster Al Jazeera of "yellow journalism", a term used for sensational reporting. Access to Al Jazeera's website has subsequently been restricted in Pakistan.
Several international organisations have also urged the Pakistan government to end what they described as escalating restrictions on freedom of expression, press freedom, access to information and human rights advocacy. The organisations have demanded the repeal of Section 26A of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes (Amendment) Act, 2025, Jurist News reported.
The criticism came after Pakistan announced on Thursday that it would enforce the Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026.
Under the guidelines, all international media organisations and journalists working for them must register with the External Publicity Wing of Pakistan's Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
The rules apply to international print, electronic and digital media, including social media and internet-based platforms.
Journalists must obtain prior approval from the Pakistan government before travelling outside Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore to produce any news content, stories, videos, films, documentaries or social media content, according to Jurist News.
The guidelines also allow Pakistani authorities to suspend or revoke press accreditation for acts deemed "against the ideology, sovereignty, security, or public order of Pakistan".
Foreign journalists seeking to visit Abbottabad or Murree, which are located near the PoK border, even for "leisure purposes" must obtain a no-objection certificate (NOC).
The guidelines come amid escalating unrest in PoK that has claimed more than 50 lives and left hundreds injured in recent days. The actual death toll is expected to be significantly higher.
The crackdown on peaceful protesters by Pakistani forces has drawn international condemnation over alleged human rights abuses and the deteriorating state of media freedom in the occupied territory.
With IANS inputs