The new directives come amid sharp public criticism from Islamabad, which has accused foreign outlets, including Al Jazeera and the BBC, of biased coverage of the ongoing elections and unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir
[ISLAMABAD] Pakistan has introduced new rules expanding state oversight of foreign media, including imposing a requirement for government clearance before journalists and contributors working for international outlets can undertake reporting assignments outside the country’s three largest cities. The move has been strongly criticized by journalist organizations.
The directives issued by Pakistan’s Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, and described as the Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026, state that foreign-media personnel must obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the ministry’s External Publicity Wing before undertaking official reporting assignments outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
The guidelines also state that press accreditation or registration may be suspended or withdrawn for misuse, involvement in a cognizable offense, submission of false or forged documents, failure to report organizational changes within seven days, or actions deemed contrary to Pakistan’s ideology, sovereignty, security or public order.
The Media Line has reviewed a copy of the guidelines, which state that they “shall be applicable to all foreign or international print, electronic and digital media including social media and web-based platforms.”
Pakistani journalists working for foreign media organizations are also covered by the new guidelines. Under the rules, any Pakistani journalists, freelancers, and other contributors—including fixers, translators, and technical personnel—working with foreign outlets may require an NOC to conduct official reporting outside the three designated cities.
These guidelines do not appear to specify a general deadline for authorities to issue an NOC for reporting assignments. Critics argue that the requirement could hinder breaking news coverage, when journalists may need to travel within hours of a major event.
The Pakistani government says the guidelines are not intended to impose restrictions on the media, but to establish “an administrative mechanism” for verifying media personnel, facilitating their access and providing necessary assistance. The government also maintains that the measures do not amount to a blanket restriction on individuals’ movement.
These new directives come amid sharp public criticism from Islamabad, which has accused foreign outlets, including Al Jazeera and the BBC, of biased coverage of the ongoing elections and unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir.
As phased legislative assembly voting continues through August 10, the Information Ministry has ordered foreign journalists to leave the region immediately and obtain a formal NOC before returning.
Authorities said several foreign correspondents had entered the region without the required clearance, marking an early enforcement of the government’s new regulatory framework.
Pakistan has already tightened controls over domestic media through expanded cybercrime laws.
The Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), along with its 2025 amendments, extended the government’s powers to regulate online expression. The amendments criminalized the intentional dissemination of information deemed false or likely to cause fear, panic, or unrest, carrying penalties of up to three years in prison and fines of up to Rs. 2 million. They also established a Social Media Protection and Regulatory Authority, giving the state broader powers to regulate digital platforms and online content.
According to a disclosure by the Pakistan Interior Ministry to the National Assembly, 187 cases have been registered under Section 26A of PECA for online misinformation, as of April 2026. Together with the new foreign media rules, the expanded PECA framework has raised concerns about increased government oversight of the media and online expression.
The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the federal government’s notification requiring foreign-media personnel to obtain permission before reporting outside the three designated cities. PFUJ is a representative body for journalists, advocating for press freedom, journalists’ rights and professional independence.
In a joint statement on Wednesday, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary-General Arshad Ansari called for the immediate withdrawal of the restrictions, warning that they could jeopardize the jobs of Pakistani journalists working for international media outlets.
PFUJ leaders said the move would only bring disrepute to Pakistan and further damage its international image, noting that the country already ranks among the lowest globally in terms of press freedom. They warned that the government’s actions could further worsen that record.
Both leaders warned that if their demand is not met, the union will launch protests and demonstrations across the country.
Iqbal Khattak, Pakistan’s country representative for Reporters Without Borders and executive director of Freedom Network, described the situation as “grave and alarming” for journalists working with foreign media.
Khattak told The Media Line that the restrictions had become so broad that even journalists’ sources could face scrutiny or consequences.
He said the guidelines appeared to give authorities greater ability to monitor what foreign journalists report and where they travel, calling the measures “highly dangerous” for press freedom.
Khattak said that while the measures are described as regulations, they effectively restrict journalists’ movement and ability to work freely.
He also warned that requiring Pakistani journalists working for foreign media to register with authorities could expose them to pressure if their reporting is later deemed negative or propagandistic.
He further criticized provisions allowing accreditation to be suspended or withdrawn on grounds including national security, public order or state ideology, saying such broadly defined grounds could create fear among journalists and discourage independent reporting.
Zain Zaman Junjua, an Islamabad-based senior journalist who has worked for several foreign media organizations, including AFP, told The Media Line that the regulations follow restrictions already imposed on domestic media through strict laws.
He said that international media had become one of the few remaining spaces for critical scrutiny of the government, but the guidelines appeared to be shrinking that space as well.
From his perspective, the rules were vague and offered little clarity about how they would be interpreted or enforced, leaving journalists and media organizations uncertain about how to comply. He questioned how reporters could obtain an NOC quickly enough to cover breaking news, given what he described as slow bureaucratic procedures.
Junjua also said the government appeared to be imposing restrictions on media organizations with global reach, even though they can bring Pakistani stories to international audiences far more quickly and widely than state-funded outlets can.
The regulations could hinder Pakistani journalists working for global media, especially those in remote and restive areas, restricting reporting and risking jobs.
“The regulations could hinder Pakistani journalists working for global media, especially those in remote and restive areas, restricting reporting and risking jobs,” he asserted.
Sajjad Azhar, a Rawalpindi-based veteran historian, writer and observer, told The Media Line that “Pakistan has now entered a highly controlled era, with laws enacted by Parliament rather than imposed by a dictator or military regime, through which media freedoms are being curtailed.”
Pakistan has now entered a highly controlled era
He acknowledged that Pakistan’s security situation is precarious and that foreign media could face threats from terrorist groups. Such restrictions might be understandable if introduced on security grounds, he said.
However, he noted that they followed an Al Jazeera report during the Kashmir elections, raising concerns that the measures are aimed less at protecting journalists than at restricting independent reporting and freedom of expression.
Azhar said foreign news organizations provide an important channel through which Pakistan is viewed and understood by global audiences.
He warned that restricting their ability to travel freely and report independently could create the perception that Islamabad is seeking greater control over how events in the country are portrayed.
At a time when Pakistan is seeking to strengthen its international standing and expand its global outreach, Azhar said, curbing the work of international media organizations could prove counterproductive.
Syed Jowdat Nadeem, a senior member of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, told The Media Line that the new restrictions “will hit journalists working for foreign media and international broadcasters particularly hard.”
Nadeem said news is often time-sensitive, and that requiring prior government permission to travel could delay or prevent coverage of major incidents.
He said independent journalism cannot function effectively when access to the field depends on administrative approval.
Nadeem warned that the policies could damage Pakistan’s international reputation by creating the impression that the country is becoming less open to independent scrutiny.
He said journalists already face intimidation, censorship, legal action and violence, while those covering conflict-hit or politically sensitive areas often face mistrust from both state institutions and local communities, making objective reporting increasingly difficult.
Nadeem noted that Pakistan’s media environment has been shrinking for years and said much of the censorship has become internalized.
