Over 200 journalists targeted in Pakistan amid media crackdown: Report

Islamabad [Pakistan], April 30 : Media freedom in Pakistan faced significant challenges over the past year, with more than 200 journalists and bloggers reportedly targeted through legal notices, according to a report by the Freedom Network released ahead of World Press Freedom Day, Dawn reported.

Titled 'Erosion of Free Speech: The Silencing of Citizens, Political Parties and Media', the annual report covers the period from May 2023 to April 2024, highlighting increased state-driven intimidation and predatory actions by non-state actors.

The report underscored a concerning trend of reduced tolerance for online dissent, coupled with attacks and harassment against journalists and bloggers, including the tragic murder of four journalists. These incidents not only eroded the boundaries of free speech but also heightened risks for media freedom in Pakistan, as reported by Dawn.

Over 70 legal notices were served to media practitioners. "Many came consequent to a 'joint investigation team' of various government departments tasked with identifying persons allegedly running a smear campaign against some judges; although, the chief justice later said he was not a complainant, and that the judiciary was being used to target free expression aimed at others."

Four journalists lost their lives during the review period, with documented cases of violations against media personnel totaling 104, including murders, assaults, injuries, kidnappings, threats, and legal proceedings.

"Acute political polarisation and governance and economic instability saw three governments in the one year between May 2023 and April 2024... Through their actions all three ruling dispensations seemed to have evolved an alarming consensus among its most powerful political and state figures to lower their threshold of tolerance to freedom of expression, particularly online dissent," the report underlined.

Amidst crackdowns on journalists and bloggers, political workers also found themselves targeted, signaling a broader assault on free speech. This crackdown coincided with warnings and actions by high-ranking officials, exacerbating the atmosphere of intimidation.

"Political workers also came in the dragnet. All this transpired against a backdrop of warnings of actions by high officials, including top government functionaries, followed by regular targeting of online expression."

The report also raised alarms over government attempts to pass the 'E-Safety Bill and Personal Data Protection Bill', which aim to regulate online content and establish authorities with powers to penalise social media users.

"Adverse policy actions, such as the state's intent to weaponise regulations of online content, particularly social media platforms, including journalistic and social expression, will not only institutionalise coercive censorship but also put other Pakistan's rising digital economy in peril," the report warned, Dawn reported.

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