Pakistan tightens rules on foreign journalists amid Kashmir tensions
The Federal government announced a set of Foreign‑Media Facilitation Guidelines on Sunday that will compel all foreign‑reporters – even Pakistani nationals working for overseas outlets – to seek a No‑Objection Certificate (NOC) if they wish to cover any story outside Islamabad, Karachi or Lahore. The new rules effectively bar on‑ground reporting by international journalists across the majority of the country, leaving them at the mercy of the authorities’ discretion.
The guidelines were issued in response to what the Information Ministry’s External Publicity wing described as a need for an "administrative mechanism" to verify media identities, facilitate access and coordinate reporting. However, the process for obtaining an NOC is unclear, with journalists warning that it can take months or may never be granted, as has been the case in the past.
"These guidelines are tantamount to choking international media in an increasingly shrinking space," warned political commentator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar. He pointed out that the public turns to foreign media for independent reporting; cutting access could instead foster the spread of fake news.
An editorial in the national paper Dawn described the constraints as both “ridiculous” and “totally unacceptable.” Editor Zaffar Abbas said, "To ask journalists to get an NOC for travelling outside the three major cities not just undermines freedom of movement but also freedom of the press."
The government argues that the guidelines are not a blanket restriction on movement but serve an administrative function. It further added that speakers could lose accreditation for "acts against ideology, sovereignty, security or public order of Pakistan", a clause critics say is ambiguous and could be misused.
Supreme Court lawyer Salhuddin Ahmed has called the directives an executive order lacking statutory backing, stating, "These guidelines are a hastily and ill‑thought‑out attempt to further curb independent reporting in Pakistan."
The restrictions come amid a spiral of violence in Pakistan‑administered Kashmir, where unrest around local elections has left dozens dead. Foreign outlets such as the BBC and Al Jazeera have been warned to leave the region or faced temporary access blocks. In response, international journalists and the Federal Union of Journalists are pressing for a meeting with the information minister to raise concerns.
The press scene in Pakistan remains fraught. Ranked 153 out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index, the country’s media is already under pressure. The new NOC requirement is seen by many as yet another step toward tightening state control over the flow of information, stifling on‑the‑ground reporting at a time when regional conflict is high.
