Name: rana hamza Tariq

S2018-028

Freedom of press and expression as an issue of mass media in Pakistan

It is customary for the country's media laws, such as the Freedom of Information Ordinance 2002
and the Code of Conduct Rules 2010, to protect the country's sovereignty, national integrity, and
moral values. The Code of Conduct and Ordinance Act of Pakistan requires media companies
that are either independent or operated inside the nation to adhere to a set of rules and
regulations. These laws and regulations include: (Ahmad, 2022).

In Pakistan, a significant portion of the media industry is under severe danger as a result of the
government's rising intolerance of critical journalism and the frequent attacks on media outlets
and journalists carried out by extremist political organizations (Aslam, 2015). In addition, the
armed forces have played a significant role in limiting journalistic freedom across the nation.
Abductions, physical assaults, and torture of journalists have become all too regular in recent
years. Another troubling development is the widespread intimidation of newspaper distributors,
which seems to be aimed to reduce the distribution of publications such as Dawn, Jang, and The
News. Similar strategies have been used by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority
(PEMRA) to suppress independent news coverage by cable providers (Curry Jansen, 1994).
Independent news stations like as GEO TV and Dawn News are often denied access to their
target audiences.

As the present crackdown takes place, Pakistan is suffering from a severe economic crisis that
has been affecting the country's media since 2018. With an expanding number of news
organizations competing on the market and a dwindling advertising industry, the news media are
becoming more reliant on government ads to fund their operations, which is a dangerous
condition that may lead to self-censorship in certain cases (Han kee-Hyung, 2007).

It has been decided to modify the country's media legislation in accordance with the country's
constitution in order to retain a hybrid legal framework for independent journalism while also
prohibiting media bias and false material from being broadcast. It is commonly recognized that
media crime, as defined by the country's criminal laws, is a kind of illegal action of a criminal
character that falls within the jurisdiction of the law (Han kee-Hyung, 2007).
Promotion of Pakistani television and radio shows, films, newspapers and magazines is the
responsibility of the media in this country. A very thriving media ecosystem in both South Asia
and the world at large. The vast majority of Pakistani media outlets are privately owned and
operated. In Pakistan, there are over 300 privately owned daily magazines. According to the
Public Broadcasting Service, they sold 6.1 million copies every day in 2009. (Han kee-Hyung,
2007). (This organization was once known as the Federal Bureau of Statistics.) Pakistanis in both
urban and rural areas depend on television for news and information. Gallup Pakistan estimates
that 86 million people watched television in Pakistan in 2009.

Despite political pressure and outright limitations imposed by political stakeholders from time to
time, the media is allowed to practice its right to freedom of expression to a substantial extent
(IPI-Admin, 2021). Pressure on the media from the political establishment is often exerted in an
indirect way. The exclusion of 'unfriendly' media from government advertising campaigns is a
tactic that the government often adopts. Along with this, the government has blacklisted or
effectively shut down a number of popular television stations, imposing harsh regulations in the
process. According to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority, it has been used to
silence the broadcast media in Pakistan by either cancelling licenses or just threatening to do so
(PEMRA). In addition, non-state actors involved in the current conflict pose a threat to the
freedom of speech of the media community (Jamil, 2020). The security environment for
journalists in Pakistan has vastly improved, and the number of journalists killed in Pakistan has
fallen dramatically as a result of these improvements (Lipman, 2010). Press freedom in Pakistan,
on the other hand, has continued to decline in recent years.

Despite increasing outright control, self-censorship, and state-sponsored antagonism towards

working journalists, freedom of the press has continued to erode in the last year in many
countries. A study on media freedom in Pakistan published by the CPNE (Council of Pakistan
Newspaper Editors) in 2019 emphasized this point. According to the report, seven journalists
were murdered and fifteen others were wounded while doing their duties (Lipman, 2010). It is
the responsibility of media proprietors to provide a safe working environment for journalists on
the job. According to the article, at least 60 members of the media have been prosecuted under
the ATA (Anti-Terrorism Act), which is a concerning high number that points to the abuse of
legislation to silence critical voices. In addition, Nasrullah Khan, a journalist, became the first
person to be imprisoned for allegedly possessing 'illegal material' in the United States. Moreover,
this establishes a dangerous precedent that might result in additional arrests and convictions of
journalists who are already operating in an environment of fear and intimidation (Jamil, 2020).

The PTI administration attempted to provide legal support for media censorship by establishing
'Special Tribunals,' which would operate as media courts, in an effort to legitimize the practice.
Fortunately, the administration was compelled to abandon the plan as a result of widespread
opposition and anger from the whole journalism community (Slutskiy, 2020). At one time, an
overzealous PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) issued guidelines
prohibiting anchors from appearing as commentators on other television discussion programs, an
order that was ultimately rescinded after receiving widespread public condemnation and
criticism. If the government was really delivering on its promises in terms of governance, as it
had claimed, it would not be need to impose such ludicrous constraints on the media in order to
prevent reporting on its performance (IPI-Admin, 2021).

The Press Freedom Index, which is published annually by Reporters without Borders (RWB), an
international nonprofit organization dedicated to safeguarding the right to freedom of speech,
ranks 180 countries. Pakistan is placed 145th out of 180 countries in the 2020 edition of the
Index. Press freedom in the nation was ranked 142 in the 2019 edition of the Press Freedom
Index, which is a slight decline from the previous year's annual survey. “In recent years, a
number of factors have contributed to Pakistan's declining global index ranking, including the
killing of journalists, restrictions placed on news media, the withdrawal of government
advertisements, threats and harassment against journalists and journalists' families, the violation
of independent journalism, detention, abduction, and frivolous lawsuits filed against journalists
and their families” (Han kee-Hyung, 2007).

Victimization, such as physical violence against journalists and discrimination, is one of the most
significant elements leading to a decline in the worldwide ranking index's overall score (Aslam,
2015). It was revealed in the annual report that the drop in rank was caused by a number of
criminal causes, including written and verbal threats of murder, offline and online harassment,
and other forms of intimidation. According to the findings of the study, the country engages in
self-censorship.
“The government of Pakistan is often criticized for instituting self-censorship and arresting
journalists in the guise of pursuing a narrow political agenda focused on a certain problem” (IPI-
Admin, 2021). Those in control of local media outlets are only allowed to broadcast news that is
favorable to the regime; news that covers the country's economic and political issues, as well as
criticisms of the regime, is subject to threats of punishment from those in charge of the media
outlets. Pakistan's print and broadcast media allege that they have been compelled to publish
news due to political pressure since the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI), a key political party in
the country, took over the country's leadership in July.

Since the country's inception, the media has continuously supported the leaders' personal cults
and their achievements. During the military dictatorship, journalists in the nation had difficulties;
however, the PTI administration, headed by Imran Khan, has made significant strides toward
restoring independent media. Following the Baluchistan war, some have advocated that Imran
Khan's administration should be subjected to direct censorship (IPI-Admin, 2021). According to
popular belief, Pakistan's tenth and most recent president, Pervez Musharraf, is responsible for
the expansion of independent media in the nation. He has also spoken in favor of blocking
television news outlets during Pakistan's period of emergency in 2007 as well.
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