The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) and 17 other press freedom and human rights organizations on Wednesday urged Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif to take immediate steps to “uphold the country’s constitutional and international obligations” to protect press freedom.
In a joint letter addressed to the premier, they said they were writing to express “deep concern regarding the sustained deterioration of media freedom in Pakistan”.
The letter was endorsed by Reporters Without Borders, the Committee to Protect Journalists, the International Press Institute, Forum Asia, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, and the Freedom Network, among other local and international groups.
The letter said that the recent legal and institutional developments, alongside “persistent failures” to ensure accountability for attacks on journalists, had contributed to a worsening environment for members of the media in Pakistan.
“We urge your government to take immediate action to uphold Pakistan’s obligations under the Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights, which guarantee freedom of expression and the press, and require the State to protect journalists from violence, intimidation, and unlawful interference,” the letter said.
In an analysis, the letter said Pakistan’s press freedom situation, which was “already challenging”, had deteriorated further since the adoption of the 27th Constitutional Amendment in November 2025.
The letter noted that the amendment led to the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), adding that the development coincided with “a weakening of judicial oversight and accountability in cases involving attacks on the media”.
Rather than strengthening protections for journalists, the letter said, “These changes have contributed to a more restrictive and uncertain environment for independent journalism.”
It further said that judicial inaction in high-profile murder cases had reinforced a pattern of impunity that continued to endanger the press.
The letter went on to say that after the amendment, journalists across Pakistan had faced increased “legal harassment, intimidation, surveillance, regulatory scrutiny, and threats — all of which had a chilling effect on press freedom”.
At the same time, it said the persistent failure of authorities to ensure accountability for crimes against journalists had reinforced a pattern of impunity that continued to place media workers at “serious risk”.
While raising concerns about journalist Sohrab Barkat’s detention under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca), the letter demanded his “immediate and unconditional” release.
It urged the government to ensure that laws were not used to criminalize journalism, and to guarantee that media organizations could operate without intimidation or administrative pressure.
The letter also pointed out the FCC’s decision to dispose of suo motu Proceedings in the case related to Journalist Arshad Sharif, who was shot dead in Kenya in 2022.
“Despite the seriousness of the case and its global significance for journalist safety, justice remains incomplete,” it said. It demanded that the government reopen a transparent investigation into his death via an independent judicial commission.
The letter also called on the authorities to investigate threats and stop intimidation against journalist Nadir Abbas Baloch.
“Ensuring accountability in cases of intimidation is essential to prevent an escalation in harmful behavior towards journalists nationwide,” it said.
The letter raised the alarm over the “expansion of restrictions on press freedom beyond national borders”.
It pressed upon the government to “halt judicial action against foreign-based journalists for their reporting or commentary, review relevant laws to ensure alignment with international standards on freedom of expression, and reaffirm that journalism and criticism of public institutions are protected”.
Moreover, the letter demanded the government urgently “repeal or substantially” amend Peca, including the 2025 amendments.
“Peca’s vague provisions enable arbitrary first information reports, arrests, and prosecutions of journalists, independent media, and digital platforms for legitimate reporting on state institutions, creating a chilling effect on free expression,” it said.
“These abuses violate international freedom of expression standards and must be reformed to safeguard journalists’ constitutional rights and the public’s right to information,” it said.
The letter also sought protection for Afghan journalists living in exile in Pakistan amid a “recent surge in detentions and deportations”.
“Deportation could expose them to serious retaliation, arbitrary detention, violence, or death. We urge the government to immediately halt deportations of journalists and media workers at risk and uphold the principle of non-refoulement for individuals facing credible threats due to their journalistic work,” it said.
