ISLAMABAD: The Pakistani Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Thursday condemned Islamabad’s move to introduce new rules that require journalists working for foreign media outlets to register with the government and seek permission to report from much of the country, saying it amounts to attacking freedom of the press and imposing curbs on the media.
The new Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026 apply not only to foreign correspondents but also to Pakistani journalists, freelancers, stringers, fixers, translators, camera operators, production companies and others working in “any capacity” for international media organizations. Under the framework, registration with the Ministry of Information’s External Publicity (EP) Wing becomes mandatory before journalists can obtain accreditation, while reporting assignments outside the cities of Lahore, Karachi and Islamabad require a No Objection Certificate (NOC) from the ministry.
The rules were announced days after Pakistan’s government criticized international coverage of elections and unrest in Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK), accusing broadcasters including Al Jazeera and BBC of bias and selective reporting. The vote, which is taking place in phases until Aug. 10, continues but the EP Wing has instructed journalists working for foreign media to leave AJK immediately and obtain an NOC before returning to report there, saying many had traveled without the required permission.
“Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists has strongly condemned the notification of the federal government barring foreign journalists from visiting different areas of the country beyond certain cities,” the PFUJ said in a statement.
PFUJ Afzal Butt and Secretary-General Arshad Ansari said the notification amounts to “attacking the freedom of expression and putting curbs on press freedom.”
“How can foreign correspondents and their Pakistani colleagues perform their professional duties after this notification,” the two were quoted as saying in the statement.
The PFUJ said the new rules would damage Pakistan’s image worldwide, pointing out that the country is already ranked low among nations that have a poor record concerning press freedom.
They demanded of the government to immediately lift the “ban,” adding that it would also adversely affect the employment of Pakistanis working with international media outlets.
“If the demands of PFUJ are not accepted, we would be left with no option but to resort to protest and demonstrations,” the journalists body warned.
The government’s new rules also give the EP Wing broad powers to suspend or withdraw registration or accreditation for journalists working for foreign media outlets. Among the grounds listed are misuse of accreditation, failure to notify authorities of changes in employment, and conduct deemed to be against the “ideology, sovereignty, security, or public order of Pakistan.”
The guidelines do not define those terms or specify how they would be interpreted.
