9 rights groups, including CPJ and RSF, urge PM to address 'deteriorating press freedom' in Pakistan

Nine press freedom and human rights organisations, including international bodies, have penned a letter to Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, urging him to take “immediate action to address the country’s rapidly deteriorating press freedom environment”. The organisations include the Committee to Protect Journalists, Reporters without Borders, CIVICUS, the International Federation for Human Rights, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the International Press Institute, the Freedom Network, Bolo Bhi and Rural Media Network Pakistan. In the letter , the organisations said they were writing to express “deep concern over Pakistan’s rapidly deteriorating press freedom climate”.

“In recent months, journalists in Pakistan have disappeared, faced detention and criminal investigations, been blocked from reporting in certain parts of the country, and lost jobs due to government and law enforcement agencies’ pressure,” the organisations said. “These developments have further eroded the ability of Pakistani journalists to report freely and safely,” they said. The organisations also said it was “alarming” to see the growing use of the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act, 2016 (Peca), and investigations by the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) against journalists for reporting on matters of public interest. They said that authorities had also introduced restrictions on reporting in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), “imposed internet and telecommunications blackouts, taken regulatory action against broadcasters, and imposed draconian new guidelines requiring journalists working for international media outlets to obtain authorisation before reporting outside the three main cities”. “Maintaining public order and national security, and preventing the spread of alleged false…