'Growing pattern of media curbs': HRCP, PFUJ express concern over new rules for foreign press

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) have raised concerns over new government regulations that require foreign media personnel to obtain permission for traveling to cities outside major urban centers. HRCP called the requirement "a chilling message that critical reporting is unwelcome" and warned that it would "institutionalize bureaucratic control over news gathering and risk deterring independent reporting."

PFUJ likewise condemned the new rules, arguing they constitute "an attack on freedom of expression and an infringement on press freedom." Under the guidelines, foreign journalists must secure a no-objection certificate (NOC) from the information ministry to cover news content, stories, videos, films, documentaries, or social media content outside Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi.

PFUJ further noted that Pakistani media personnel working for international outlets and non-journalists assisting foreign media will also be required to register with the ministry's External Publicity Wing. The rights groups urged the government to withdraw the restrictions, asserting they would damage Pakistan's reputation and undermine its commitment to press freedom.