Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) calls attention to the stifling and restrictive environment for media safety and press freedom in Pakistan and emphasises the urgent need to address the patterns of dealing with the media — register criminal complaints and bog them down in cumbersome legal proceedings, threaten and attack them and perpetuate the cycles of violence and intimidation through close to zero accountability for the perpetrators of violence and targeted attacks on the media.
On November 2, on the occasion of International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, PPF is concerned about the existing and emerging patterns of violence. We cannot accept violence and intimidation of journalists and media professionals as an unfortunate status quo. The mechanisms developed for the protection of journalists must be activated to effectively counter this violence and to work towards ending the pervasive culture of impunity.
Legal action based on vague language, open ended threats, and repeated cycles of violence — in this reality that journalists and media professionals in Pakistan work within, how can accountability be encouraged and how can the Constitutional right to freedom of expression and access to information be safeguarded?
In 2026 (January-October), PPF has documented cases of violence and threats including, at least:
- Assault and Manhandling: 62 journalists assaulted or manhandled
- Obstruction in journalistic work: 34 — 27 of those assaulted or manhandled also faced obstruction in doing their work along with 7 instances of obstruction in work due to actions taken.
- Attacks or Damage to Property: 7 attacks or damage to property from press club premises to electronic devices of journalists of which 5 were during instances of assault or manhandling and two were during raids at a media outlet.
- Abductions: 1
- Detentions: 11
- Arrests: 9
- Case Registered: 31; PECA:14 Criminal complaints were registered against at least 31 journalists where in some cases one FIR was used to register cases against multiple journalists. 14 of these had sections of PECA.
- Legal Action: 28 cases of legal action including inclusion in the Fourth Schedule, NCCIA notices and summons.
- Threats and Harassment: 24 including targeted remarks, online threats or harassments and some that impacted an entire pool of journalists.
- Additionally, instances of cyber attacks, directives that are restrictive and encourage censorship have also been documented.
It appears that physical violence against journalists has continued with at least 62 journalists facing assault and manhandling, 34 cases of obstruction in journalistic work, seven attacks or damage to property, one abduction and 11 detentions. Physical violence is an instance where a media professionals’ physical safety comes under threat through a targeted attack and can include instances of manhandling or more extreme forms of violence.
PPF’s documented incidents of obstruction in journalistic work, attacks on property and detentions include cases where physical assault or manhandling also took place demonstrating the multilayered attacks that the media can face. Cases in 2026 demonstrate patterns of hindering journalists’ work by attacking them, creating obstructions in their work or detaining them. There have also been incidents where political party workers have attacked and verbally abused journalists.
In other cases, coverage on certain issues have been obstructed. On May 19, the Karachi Press Club (KPC) condemned police misconduct involving journalists during the court appearance of Anmol, alias Pinky, in Karachi.
The Federal Commission for Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals (CPJMP) activated its complaint mechanism, allowing journalists and media professionals to submit complaints manually while its online Complaint Management Portal is being developed. However, it is not enough. The Commission itself was established after a three-year delay and has since been slow in its functioning. In order to ensure that the media safety legislation is effective, it must be actively implemented.
In Sindh, the provincial Commission for the Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners must also function effectively. Additionally, PPF calls on the remaining provinces of the country to introduce similar media safety laws so that the unique safety challenges of journalists in their provinces can be addressed.
In some cases these incidents are accompanied by threats or harassment taking different forms from the harassment and issuance of threats to journalists including women in the media online as well the issuance of death threats to journalists. In other cases media professionals have been on the receiving end of remarks that can be considered harassment for their work. During 2026, PPF has documented 24 journalists being subjected to harassment or threats.
On April 24, prominent female journalist Gharidah Farooqi lodged a formal complaint with the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) after being targeted in an online harassment campaign. This campaign, which started on April 11, involved distributing morphed images and abusive messages concerning her appearance and attire across various digital platforms.
Meanwhile, legal actions have become a common feature with 28 media professionals against whom legal action was taken, 31 journalists against whom criminal complaints (First Information Reports) were registered of which 14 were under sections of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act, amended in 2025 and nine arrests of journalists and media professionals took place.
In some instances, one criminal complaint was registered against multiple media professionals.
While for some, an FIR is the only action taken, in other cases, this has resulted in their arrests.
In one such case, in September, journalist Bilal Ghauri, was taken into custody in a case concerning the alleged dissemination of false information registered against him under the PECA. He was later granted post-arrest bail. During the court proceedings, it was noted that his accounts and devices had been seized. In one instance, the investigating officer had sought an extension in remand as due to the use of two-step verification on Ghauri’s account it was difficult for them to log in. Seizure of electronic devices was also documented in other cases such as that of Fakhar-ur-Rehman’s arrest in April.
This is in sheer violation of the Protection of Journalists and Media Professionals Act, 2021 that guarantees the privacy of journalists’ works and sources.
Legal action against journalists has ranged from issuance of summons from the NCCIA to being placed on the Fourth Schedule.
In June, journalist and columnist Taufeeq Butt was summoned to appear before the NCCIA Lahore over a complaint regarding a column he wrote where he used the term “Bureau-Corrupts.”
In other instances, a pattern observed in summons or call-up notices to media professionals is their vague wording. Additionally, in some cases journalists have been issued multiple call-up notices from the cyber crime agency. In July, journalist Asad Ali Toor received a call-up notice from the NCCIA for an inquiry related to the alleged dissemination of false information. He has since received multiple further notices.
Journalists must be able to report, analyse and comment on matters of public interest without fear of legal intimidation or undue pressure. PPF emphasises the need for the implementation of international standards of necessity and proportionality in monitoring free expression in Pakistan while ensuring that the constitutionally guaranteed rights to freedom of expression under Article 19 are protected.
Alongside these attacks and threats, there have also been instances of cyber attacks, issuance of directives or regulatory action that has undermined the space for free expression and impacted press freedom in Pakistan through overt censorship and in other cases, by encouraging self-censorship.
The most notable of these actions was the overreaching Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines, 2026 issued at the start of August under which all journalists working with international and foreign media outlets were required to register with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting External Publicity Wing.
This guideline could have an adverse effect on press freedom and the ability of the media to report and diminish the information landscape in Pakistan. The guideline, requiring registration of all journalists residing in Pakistan, including local journalists, contributing to foreign media, could escalate the spread of disinformation and misinformation in the absence of reported and verified news from media outlets.
PPF urges the authorities to reconsider this policy and rather than restricting the space for the media to report.
This International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists, UNESCO is looking at changing threats to journalists and the continued challenge of impunity under the theme ‘Threats Evolve, Impunity Endures.’ This day should be a reminder of the perpetuation of existing patterns of violence and harassment against journalists and the expanding and new shapes that the intimidation of journalists is now taking.
If patterns of violence and threats against journalists and media professionals continue with dismal accountability, as has been observed, how can the patterns of enduring impunity be tackled?
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About PPF and Methodology
Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) is an independent media documentation and training center, established in 1968 to promote development of independent media in Pakistan. Now over 65-years-old, this aim has shaped the direction and activities of the organisation. In a country where the media has routinely been made a target of attacks and threats due to their work, PPF emerged out of the need to strengthen both the media’s capability to withstand repression, intimidation and to have an effective monitoring mechanism for media freedoms and media safety in the country. PPF is committed to raising the country’s journalism standard through training programs and tailored journalism production fellowships focusing on investigative reporting. PPF’s investigative journalism fellowship program was a trendsetter for fellowship programs for the media in Pakistan. PPF has long-standing relationships with local, national, and international media organisations.
The documentation of attacks on journalists and media professionals and restrictions to free expression involve research, investigation including primary and secondary research. Cases are documented and followed up on to determine the status of an incident, identify any updates and assess whether an incident was due to a journalists’ work or free expression. The numbers may change over the course of further follow up. Journalists and media professionals requiring guidance under the Federal and Sindh media safety law in instances of attacks can contact PPF’s Media Safety Laws Help Desk at 0332-883-4088.
