ISLAMABAD: The country’s leading rights and journalists’ groups on Thursday criticised the government’s new rules governing foreign media access, warning that the policy could further restrict independent reporting in the country.
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) raised concerns over the Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026 after the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting reminded foreign media organisations that prior approval would be required for reporting assignments outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
The ministry’s reminder came after it accused Qatar-based broadcaster Al-Jazeera of “selective reporting” on Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK).
The HRCP said the guidelines, which the government described as a facilitation measure, could instead discourage coverage of issues of public interest.
“These measures risk deterring independent reporting on matters of public interest,” the HRCP said in a statement on X, describing the move as part of a wider pattern of restrictions on media freedom in Pakistan.
The commission said journalists in the country had faced “arbitrary curbs on reporting”, growing censorship and legal and administrative obstacles, adding that the space for independent journalism had continued to narrow.
“Requiring journalists to obtain state approval before reporting from large parts of the country sends a chilling message: that critical reporting is unwelcome,” the HRCP said.
It called on the government to withdraw the measures and uphold constitutional and international commitments to freedom of expression.
The PFUJ also rejected the policy, with its president Afzal Butt and secretary general Arshad Ansari saying the notification amounted to restrictions on press freedom.
The journalists’ body said the rules not only limited the movement of foreign correspondents but also affected Pakistani journalists working for international media organisations.
“How can foreign correspondents and their Pakistani colleagues perform their professional duties after this notification?” the PFUJ leadership questioned.
The union warned that the restrictions could harm Pakistan’s international image and affect the jobs of local journalists employed by global media outlets.
“If Pakistani journalists working with global media outlets are unable to visit different areas, it means they would not be able to perform their professional responsibilities,” the statement said.
The PFUJ called for the withdrawal of the notification, warning that failure to do so could lead to protests.
Under the new guidelines, foreign journalists must seek approval from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting before undertaking reporting assignments outside the country’s three largest media hubs – Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
The policy also requires journalists to submit travel schedules and details of planned reporting, with provincial information departments and other authorities involved in granting access.
The requirement for prior no-objection certificates (NOCs) has drawn criticism from media rights groups, who argue that the rules give authorities greater control over journalists’ movements and reporting activities.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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