New York: Several international press freedom and human rights organisations have written to Pakistan Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, warning that restrictions on journalists and independent media are worsening across the country.
In a letter sent on Friday (Sptember 11), the organisations accused Pakistani authorities of creating an unsafe environment for journalists through disappearances, detentions, criminal investigations, reporting restrictions and pressure on media outlets.
They said these actions are making it difficult for journalists to cover issues of public interest freely and safely.
Another major issue was Pakistan’s Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026. The two were taken away on August 1 and their whereabouts have not been made public, according to the letter. “In recent months, journalists in Pakistan have disappeared, faced detention and criminal investigations, been blocked from reporting in certain parts of the country and lost jobs due to government and law enforcement agencies’ pressure.
The organisations said PECA and NCCIA investigations are increasingly being used against journalists. The groups described the rules as “draconian” and said they require journalists working for international media organisations to obtain prior authorisation before reporting outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. These developments have further eroded the ability of Pakistani journalists to report freely and safely,” the organisations wrote. They warned that criminal cases over reporting could make reporters hesitant to cover sensitive political and security-related issues. The groups also called on the Pakistani government to release independent journalists Razi Tahir and Muhammad Saif. Both publish reports through Tahir’s popular social media channels. The signatories urged the Pakistani government to order an independent investigation into the circumstances surrounding their disappearance. They also called for action against anyone responsible for unlawful detention.
