Key Takeaways
- Leading rights and journalists' groups have criticised the government's new Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026.
- The guidelines require prior approval for reporting outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
- Critics warn these measures could restrict independent journalism and harm Pakistan’s international image.
ISLAMABAD: Leading rights groups have criticised the government's new Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026, which require prior approval for foreign media to report outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) raised concerns over these measures.
The HRCP stated that the guidelines could discourage independent reporting on matters of public interest, describing them as part of a wider pattern of restrictions on media freedom in Pakistan. The commission said journalists had faced arbitrary curbs on reporting and growing censorship, adding that the space for independent journalism had continued to narrow.
Afzal Butt, president of the PFUJ, and Arshad Ansari, its secretary general, rejected the policy outright. They argued that the notification amounted to restrictions on press freedom and limited the movement of foreign correspondents as well as Pakistani journalists working for international media organisations.
The PFUJ warned that these restrictions could harm Pakistan’s international image and affect the jobs of local journalists employed by global media outlets. The union 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 Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. They are also required to submit travel schedules and details of planned reporting, with provincial information departments and other authorities involved in granting access.
The HRCP said that requiring state approval for reporting could give authorities greater control over journalists' movements and activities. The guidelines have drawn criticism from media rights groups who argue that they could further restrict independent journalism in Pakistan.
Both the HRCP and PFUJ called on the government to withdraw these measures, citing constitutional and international commitments to freedom of expression. They urged the government to uphold these commitments and allow unrestricted access for foreign journalists across the country.
These measures risk deterring independent reporting on matters of public interest.
HRCP, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan
How can foreign correspondents and their Pakistani colleagues perform their professional duties after this notification?
Afzal Butt, president of PFUJ, Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists
