Pakistan issues foreign media guidelines, drawing criticism from press freedom groups

ISLAMABAD (AP) — Pakistan’s government has issued new guidelines for foreign media organizations operating in the country, formalizing reporting requirements for journalists working for international news outlets outside the country’s three largest cities, a move that has drawn criticism from press freedom advocates and journalist groups.

The document, titled Guidelines for the Facilitation of the Foreign Media and Their Associates Working in Pakistan, was circulated to local and foreign media organizations earlier this week. Journalists’ and rights groups said Thursday the measures add new bureaucratic hurdles that could discourage independent reporting.

However, the Ministry of Information rejected that characterization, saying the guidelines “are not intended to restrict foreign media or curtail press freedom,” but instead provide “a clear, transparent and accountable framework” for the registration, accreditation, and facilitation of foreign media organizations.

The ministry in responses to several journalists said the guidelines distinguish between registration and obtaining government clearance for reporting trips outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. Under the rules, Pakistani journalists, freelancers, contributors, stringers, fixers, and others professionally associated with foreign media organizations must register with the ministry’s External Publicity Wing and obtain accreditation before undertaking reporting assignments beyond the three cities.

“This is not a blanket restriction on the movement of individuals,” the ministry said.

The ministry’s clarification followed days of controversy after it sent a WhatsApp message to Islamabad-based foreign journalists reminding them that a No-Objection Certificate, or NOC, was mandatory before reporting, filming, or producing content outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.

The message also instructed journalists working in Pakistan-administered Kashmir to return immediately, apply for the required clearance and inform the ministry before deploying reporting teams to the disputed region.

The travel clearance requirement has existed for years, but the latest guidelines followed weeks of controversy over foreign media coverage of Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Authorities say dozens of deaths were wrongly reported during clashes between police and supporters of the outlawed Joint Awami Action Committee, as well as reports of low voter turnout during recent legislative assembly elections after the group called for a boycott.

The government accused some international media organizations of presenting a misleading picture of the elections.

The guidelines were issued ahead of the third and final phase of the legislative assembly elections in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where Pakistan’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz is expected to return to office after a decade out of power.

Raja Shakeel, a spokesman for the regional election commission, said turnout exceeded 56% in the regional capital of Muzaffarabad. Voting for the remaining 11 seats is scheduled for Aug. 10.

Media rights groups condemned the guidelines. The independent Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said that rather than facilitating journalism, they "will invariably institutionalize bureaucratic control over news gathering and risk deterring independent reporting on matters of public interest.”

In a post on X the previous day, the commission described the measures as “the latest in a growing pattern of restrictions on media freedom in Pakistan.” “From arbitrary curbs on reporting and increasing censorship to legal and administrative barriers, the space for independent journalism has continued to shrink,” it said.

“The requirement that journalists obtain state approval to report from large parts of the country sends a chilling message: that critical reporting is unwelcome.” The commission urged the government to withdraw the measures and uphold its constitutional and international obligations to protect freedom of expression.

“The Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines, 2026, open the door for Pakistan’s civilian and security agencies to impose further restrictions on foreign journalists and prevent them from reporting freely across the country without fear of legal or administrative retaliation,” said Waliullah Rahmani, the Committee to Protect Journalists representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan.

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists on Thursday also condemned the guidelines, calling them “an attack on freedom of expression” that would hamper the work of foreign correspondents and Pakistani journalists working for international news organizations. It urged the government to withdraw the notification, saying the move would further damage Pakistan’s international reputation on press freedom.

Pakistan’s media has also faced censorship in recent years.