Pakistani authorities have imposed new restrictions on international media reporting in the country in a move that has drawn sharp criticism from journalist organisations.
Anyone working for foreign media, including Pakistani nationals, must now seek permission to report from anywhere except the cities of Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.
The restrictions would leave on-the-ground reporting by foreign media at the discretion and timing of the authorities across most of Pakistan, which currently ranks 153 out of 180 on the World Press Freedom Index.
“These guidelines are tantamount to choking international media in an increasingly shrinking space,” said political commentator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.
Limitations on the media are not new, but local media are often subject to more pressure than international outlets.
“The public looks at the international media for independent reporting,” Khokhar says. “Placing restrictions simply creates more room for disinformation and spread of fake news.”
Pakistan’s government said the guidelines, issued on Sunday, are not to restrict media but to “provide an administrative mechanism” to verify media, facilitate access and co-ordinate reporting requirements.
The new rules – called the Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines, 2026 – do not set out how long gaining permission, known as a No Objection Certificate or NOC, can take.
Foreign journalists already require NOCs and can wait months for permissions or never receive an answer – severely curtailing their ability to report breaking news stories from the ground in the country of 240 million people.
International media outlets often therefore rely on Pakistani nationals, who can travel more easily to – or are permanently based in – cities like Peshawar or Quetta, to verify information.
Credit: bbc.com
