Pakistan's media freedom under severe threat as legal curbs, violence and economic pressure intensify: Freedom Network report

The report, titled 'Regulatory Repression of Freedom of Expression', presents a stark assessment of the country's press freedom environment, warning that independent journalism is being systematically undermined through legal coercion, censorship, financial instability and growing physical threats.

Covering developments from mid-2025 to early 2026, the report argues that Pakistan's freedom of expression crisis is no longer shaped by isolated incidents but by a broader systemic framework designed to regulate and suppress dissent. At the centre of this crackdown is the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), originally introduced in 2016 to combat cybercrime, but increasingly used as a tool to target journalists, activists, lawyers and political commentators.

According to the report, PECA has been widely deployed under loosely defined provisions such as "fake news" and "offensive content," creating what Freedom Network describes as a chilling effect across Pakistan's media ecosystem. High-profile convictions, including those of human rights lawyers Imaan Mazari and Hadi Ali Chattha over social media remarks, are cited as examples of how the law is increasingly being used to criminalise expression.

By October 2025, at least 30 journalists had faced 36 legal proceedings under PECA, while official figures cited in the report revealed 187 fake news-related cases under the amended law. Critics argue that these cases disproportionately target dissenting voices, encouraging widespread self-censorship.

The report documents 129 verified violations against journalists during the review period. Legal intimidation, including arrests, prosecutions and detentions, accounted for nearly half of these cases, while physical assaults, threats and violence made up a significant portion. State authorities were identified as the primary perpetrators in over 60 per cent of violations, largely through legal and custodial actions. Non-state actors, including militant groups, criminal networks and political factions, also continued to endanger journalists through targeted attacks and intimidation.

Geographically, Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa emerged as the most dangerous regions for journalists, accounting for nearly two-thirds of all documented violations. However, Freedom Network cautions that lower figures in Balochistan and Pakistan-occupied Gilgit-Baltistan may reflect underreporting due to security risks and limited documentation capacity.

The report also highlights an alarming expansion of digital and technological controls. Television channels have reportedly faced abrupt suspensions, online content has been blocked, and authorities have sought bans on multiple YouTube channels accused of spreading anti-state narratives. Internet shutdowns and connectivity disruptions have further restricted information access, particularly during politically sensitive periods. A 16-day internet blackout in Balochistan during August 2025 is cited as a key example.

Economic insecurity is another major factor weakening media independence, the report notes. Delayed salaries, mass layoffs, closure of local bureaus and dependence on government advertising have left many journalists financially vulnerable. Freedom Network warns that the selective allocation of state advertising has become an indirect but powerful tool for influencing editorial policy.

Women journalists face particularly severe challenges, with the report documenting workplace discrimination, online harassment, deepfake attacks and legal intimidation. Female representation in Pakistani news content has reportedly dropped to just four per cent, underscoring systemic exclusion.

While Pakistan has Right to Information laws, Freedom Network says poor implementation, bureaucratic resistance and secrecy laws continue to undermine transparency and accountability.

The report concludes that without urgent reforms, including revising PECA, strengthening journalist protections, improving RTI enforcement and ensuring balanced digital regulation, Pakistan risks deepening a cycle of censorship, repression and institutional fragility that could seriously damage its democratic future. (ANI)