Pakistan restricts international media reporting
Pakistani authorities have introduced new, restrictive guidelines requiring international journalists to obtain government permission to report from outside major cities. Critics argue these rules will stifle independent journalism and increase the spread of disinformation.
Why it matters
The restrictions threaten press freedom in a country already ranked low on global indices, potentially limiting international oversight of political and social developments.
Image source, EPA Image caption, Recent tensions in Kashmir have led to demonstrations, and police crackdowns, like this one in Lahore
Pakistani authorities have imposed new restrictions on international media reporting in the country in a move that has drawn sharp criticism from journalist organisations.
Anyone working for foreign media, including Pakistani nationals, must now seek permission to report from anywhere except the cities of Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.
The restrictions would leave on-the-ground reporting by foreign media at the discretion and timing of the authorities across most of Pakistan, which currently ranks 153 out of 180 on the World Press Freedom Index.
"These guidelines are tantamount to choking international media in an increasingly shrinking space," said political commentator Mustafa Nawaz Khokhar.
Limitations on the media are not new , but local media are often subject to more pressure than international outlets.
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