• April 23, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) is concerned by threats issued to Roznama Adalat Akhbar’s editor Sherbaz Muneer and journalist Zafar Mughal in Mirpur, Azad Jammu and Kashmir. We urge relevant authorities to ensure that journalists are able to safely do their work without fear of consequences.  According to Mughal, threats follow a news story published in Daily Adalat […]

• April 22, 2024
• Freedom of Expression, Social Media

The federal government, in a bid to uphold the integrity and security of the electoral process, has announced the temporary suspension of cellular services in specific districts of Punjab and Balochistan during the by-elections scheduled for April 21 and 22. The Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) revealed in a statement issued on April 20 that, upon directives from […]

• April 9, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

Murtaza Ali Shah, a reporter for Geo News and The News London, is facing life-threatening intimidation from the Indian state due to his extensive coverage of Khalistan issues, according to the Sikh Federation UK. Dabinderjit Singh, leader of the pro-Khalistan British Sikh organisation, went public with this information during an interview with the Sikh Channel Akaal TV. The Sikh Federation […]

• April 6, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

A three-member bench of the Supreme Court of Pakistan, led by Chief Justice Qazi Faez Isa, comprising Justice Musarrat Hilali and Justice Naeem Akhtar Afghan, addressed critical issues related to media freedom, the spread of misinformation, and the harassment of journalists on April 2. The bench had taken up the Press As­­sociation of the Supreme […]

• March 19, 2024
• Freedom of Expression, Social Media

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) welcomes journalist and YouTuber Asad Ali Toor’s release from jail after his bail was approved on March 16. We urge authorities to safeguard the rights of journalists protected under the law instead of harassing them through the issuance of notices, arrests, and investigations. Toor’s arrest on the grounds of an investigation […]

• March 15, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

On March 13, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaaf (PTI) leader Faisal Javed Khan was indicted by the District and Sessions Court in Islamabad in a case of threatening a journalist. The indictment follows a complaint filed against Javed Khan at the Bani Gala police station on August 10, 2022.  During a press conference on August 9, 2022, held […]

• March 15, 2024
• Freedom of Expression, Social Media

Human rights activists and civil society organizations have demanded the immediate restoration of X, formerly known as Twitter, in a joint statement. They expressed grave concerns about the escalating occurrences of internet shutdowns and the blocking of social media platforms. The joint statement issued on March 13 highlights the urgent need for the restoration of access to X, emphasizing […]

• March 13, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) welcomes observations by Chief Justice of Pakistan Qazi Faez Isa that “intimidation of the press would not be tolerated at any costs.” However, PPF is also vary of observations made by the top judge regarding the process of verification that the media should be implementing and the limits of free expression […]

• March 12, 2024
• Broadcasting, Freedom of Expression

On March 12, police issued a ban on media coverage outside Adiala Jail in Rawalpindi, where former Prime Minister Imran Khan was meeting with party leaders and workers. The ban, announced by Rawalpindi police, restricts journalists from gathering or covering events outside the jail premises. After the conclusion of the meeting between the founder of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf […]

• March 12, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

In a notable session of the National Assembly on March 3 in Islamabad, the state broadcaster, Pakistan Television (PTV), abruptly halted the live broadcast of a speech by Omar Ayub Khan, a prominent member.  of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)-aligned Sunni Ittehad Council.  This occurrence took place right after the newly-elected Prime Minister Shahbaz Sharif’s address, highlighting a dramatic […]

• March 10, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

On March 8, a district and sessions court in Islamabad sent journalist and YouTuber Asad Toor to jail on a 14-day judicial remand. This decision came after the court rejected a request by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) for an extension of Toor’s physical custody. The FIA had sought additional time for investigations and to recover electronic […]

• March 10, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

An Anti-Terrorism Court in Lahore granted bail to journalist Imran Riaz Khan on March 9, in relation to the Zaman Park attack case. This case has brought him under scrutiny for alleged acts of arson and stone-pelting at police officers during their attempt to execute arrest warrants against the former Prime Minister and the founder of Pakistan […]

• March 5, 2024
• Freedom of Expression

The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on March 5 issued notices to the Ministry of Information Technology and Telecommunication and the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) in response to a petition challenging the ban on social media platform X. The petition was filed on March 4 by Islamabad resident Ehtisham Abbasi, naming the information ministry and PTA as respondents. […]

• 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, […]