• March 5, 2024
• Print Media

The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) concluded its Annual General Meeting (AGM) on March 2nd with the election of new office bearers and a strong call for government intervention to address the dire financial struggles facing the country’s print media industry. Nazafreen Saigol Lakhani was unanimously elected President of the APNS, alongside other key appointments, including Imtinan […]

• March 5, 2024
• Social Media

On March 5, the Sindh High Court (SHC) called upon the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) and the Federal Ministry of Interior to submit their responses regarding the petitions filed against the suspension of internet and cellular phone services during the general elections on February 8, and the ongoing ban on the social media platform X, previously known as Twitter. […]

• March 5, 2024
• Social Media

A widespread technical issue disrupted the operations of Meta-owned social media platforms Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp on March 4, causing frustration among users across Pakistan and potentially millions worldwide. According to Downdetector.pk, a real-time internet and social media outage monitoring service, both Facebook and Instagram experienced downtime starting at approximately 8:20 PM PST and gradually recovered […]

• March 4, 2024
• Freedom of Expression, Social Media

On March 4, Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Senator Bahramand Khan Tangi withdrew his controversial resolution calling for a sweeping ban on major social media platforms. The move followed widespread criticism from digital rights advocates, journalists, and opposition lawmakers who labeled it a severe attack on freedom of expression. Senator Tangi initially submitted the resolution to the Senate, on March 2, […]

• March 4, 2024
• Social Media

Access to X, formerly twitter, has remained intermittently blocked since February 17 in Pakistan, following allegations of electoral rigging during the February 8 general elections, leading to concerns among experts regarding economic consequences and the potential spread of disinformation. According to Express Tribune, UK-based Alp Toker, director of NetBlocks said that the disruption could result in millions of […]

• March 3, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

A district and sessions court in Islamabad has extended the remand of journalist and YouTuber Asad Toor by three days. The Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) will retain custody of Toor as they investigate allegations of his involvement in a social media campaign targeting Pakistan’s Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa. The court’s decision came after arguments concluded on […]

• March 2, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

An Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore ordered a five-day physical custody remand for anchorperson Imran Riaz Khan on March 1, following his arrest related to incidents of violence outside Zaman Park, Lahore, amidst a turbulent political backdrop and heightened security measures in the area on May 9, 2023. Presented before the court by Racecourse police, Riaz Khan, who was already […]

• March 1, 2024
• Radio

Caretaker Minister for Information and Broadcasting, Murtaza Solangi, has inaugurated  the media training programme Pakistan Broadcasting Academy (PBA), reinstating its operations on February 28 in Islamabad. Speaking at the reactivation ceremony held at the PBA , Solangi lauded Director General Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation, Saeed Ahmed Sheikh, for spearheading the revival efforts. According to The Nation, highlighting the […]

• March 1, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

On March 1, the Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered a medical examination for Asad Ali Toor, a journalist currently in custody of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA). According to The Nation, Judicial Magistrate Muhammad Shabbir presided over the hearing regarding the request for Toor’s medical evaluation. The move came after Imaan Zainab Mazari, representing Toor, argued […]

• February 27, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) calls for the immediate release of journalist and YouTuber Asad Ali Toor, who was arrested on February 26 by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) allegedly in connection with an “explicit and malicious campaign against Honorable Judges of [the] Supreme Court of Pakistan.” The repeat issuance of summons to a journalist, hours-long […]

• February 27, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

Caretaker Minister for Information, Broadcasting and Parliamentary Affairs, Murtaza Solangi, expressed regret on February 20 over what he termed “false and baseless” allegations made by a British Broadcasting Corporation (BBC) journalist, Mobeen Azhar, regarding an interview appointment. According to Associate Press of Pakistan (APP), Solangi said that he is no stranger to giving an interview to the media […]

• February 27, 2024
• Freedom of Expression, Social Media

X, formerly known as Twitter, continues to be disrupted in Pakistan for the tenth consecutive day. The outage coincides with restrictions imposed on virtual private networks (VPNs), further limiting access to social media platforms in the country. The disruption has sparked concerns over freedom of expression and access to information, with users unable to utilize […]

• February 27, 2024
• General News

In Sukkur, journalists and other media workers held a protest demonstration outside the Khairpur Press Club on February 24, 2024, pledging to escalate their efforts in seeking justice for their esteemed colleague Jan Mohammad Mahar, who was murdered on the night between Aug 13 and 14, 2023 by unknown assailants near Saint Saviour School in Sukkur. […]

• February 24, 2024
• Freedom of Expression, Social Media

The Sindh High Court (SHC) has demanded explanations from the information technology and communication,  interior ministries and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) regarding the suspension of internet services on election day on February 08 in various parts of the country during the court hearing on February 21. The court expressed dissatisfaction with the decision to […]