ISLAMABAD: In a ‘World Press Freedom Day Roundtable,’ Secretary of State Antony Blinken said the United States was ‘concerned’ by restrictions on media and civil society in Pakistan, saying they were a threat to exercising the right to freedom of expression and association in Pakistan.
The Committee to Protect Journalists has ranked Pakistan number nine on its annual Global Impunity Index, which spotlights countries where journalists are slain and their killers go free. A total of 65 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2020, including nine in Pakistan, while doing their jobs, according to the International Federation of Journalists.
“Look, with regard to freedom of the press in Pakistan, we are concerned by significant restrictions on media outlets, on civil society more broadly, and these are not – these are not new concerns,” Blinken said. “But media and content restrictions as well as a lack of accountability for attacks, disappearances against journalists clearly are a threat to the ability to exercise the right to freedom of expression and association in Pakistan.”
The secretary of state said the United States had documented some of these violations in its Country Reports on Human Rights practices, and “we see media outlets, journalists, their families in Pakistan often subject to threats, harassment at the hands of security forces, political parties, militants, other groups, all of which you’re well familiar with.”
He added: “We of course regularly raise these issues and concerns in our conversations and in our meetings with our counterparts in Pakistan. And we also make them public. We’ve publicly noted our concern over the arrest of prominent media figures, for example, for their work. Sometimes the most effective thing we can do, over time at least, is to shine a light on practices that we find objectionable and also have others do the same, and hopefully that has an impact. But our open and honest engagement with Pakistan enables us, I think, to have an ongoing, sustained dialogue on human rights issues more broadly, and more specifically when it comes to press freedom, the rule of law, religious freedom, even as we collaborate in a number of areas where we have very clear mutual interests.”
The Pakistan government denies it censors the press.
In an interview to Arab News last month, then information minister Shibli Faraz said: “There is no concept of media censorship in the country, whatsoever ... Media in Pakistan enjoys complete independence and freedom to report, be it politics, economy or any other sphere.”
‘Concerned’ by restrictions on media outlets in Pakistan — US secretary of state
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‘Concerned’ by restrictions on media outlets in Pakistan — US secretary of state
- Blinken says the US “regularly” raise concerns about press censorship in meetings with Pakistani counterparts
- A total of 65 journalists and media workers were killed worldwide in 2020, including nine in Pakistan
Pakistan army chief says future warfare will rely on technology over battlefield maneuvers
- Asim Munir cites drones, electronic warfare and surveillance as central to future war operations
- Remarks follow Pakistan’s 2025 military conflict with India that highlighted role of technology
ISLAMABAD: Pakistan’s army chief said on Thursday future conflicts would be shaped more by technology than traditional battlefield maneuvers, as the military accelerates its shift toward drone warfare, electronic systems and networked command structures, according to a statement issued by the Pakistan military.
Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir, who also serves as Chief of Defense Forces, made the remarks while visiting the Bahawalpur Garrison in southern Punjab, where he observed a high-intensity field exercise focused on integrating new technologies into conventional military operations, the Inter-Services Public Relations (ISPR) said.
The exercise, titled Steadfast Resolve, involved unmanned aerial systems, advanced surveillance assets, electronic warfare capabilities and modern command-and-control mechanisms, reflecting what the military described as a move toward “technology-enabled multi-domain operations.”
“Character of war has evolved massively, with technological advancements driving the evolution, dictating huge mental transformation at all tiers,” Munir said while addressing troops, according to the ISPR statement.
“In future, technological maneuvers will replace physical maneuvers and will fundamentally alter the way offensive and defensive operations are undertaken,” he added.
Militaries worldwide are reassessing combat doctrine as drones, electronic warfare and real-time data increasingly shape outcomes on modern battlefields. In South Asia, those shifts gained renewed attention following military exchanges between Pakistan and India in May 2025, when both sides employed surveillance, electronic countermeasures and precision capabilities alongside conventional forces, underscoring the growing role of non-kinetic domains.
Munir said the Pakistan army was “embracing and absorbing technology at a rapid pace,” adding that “innovation, indigenization and adaptation shall remain fundamental” as the military prepares for future battlefield and security challenges.
The army chief also reiterated that Pakistan’s armed forces remained prepared to defend the country’s sovereignty and territorial integrity, while emphasizing the need to maintain readiness as warfare increasingly expands across physical, cyber and electronic domains.
