Pakistan Press Foundation released two reports that underscored the continuing attacks facing journalists in Pakistan. One of the reports also documented increasing online attacks targeting women journalists.
Impunity worsened in Pakistan in 2021 as attacks against journalists continued while authorities have imposed new measures that curtailed online expression.
Meanwhile, the perpetrators of these attacks continue to enjoy impunity due to a lack of legislation, support and follow-up in cases of attacks on the media.
The space for free expression in Pakistan continues to shrink and increasingly, online spaces are becoming the new grounds for limiting free speech and creating red lines for the mainstream, digital and citizen media to operate within.
These are the conclusions of two reports by Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF), focusing on attacks in the physical and online media that were released to commemorate the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists, which is a UN-recognized international day observed annually on 2 November. The day draws attention to the level of impunity for crimes against journalists, which remains extremely high globally, including in Pakistan.
As online spheres such as social media platforms are of growing importance to the work of media professionals, particularly for disseminating information regarding COVID-19, journalists were the targets of attacks online.
Physical attacks including abductions, manhandling, arrests and in some instances killings of journalists for their work continued.
Two deaths of journalists were documented, at least 27 incidents of physical assault, 19 instances where journalists were issued threats, 3 incidents of abductions/kidnappings, 7 arrests/detentions, 3 raids and at least 9 instances of legal actions or registration of cases.
In the online sphere, journalists are often on the receiving end of hate, threats and abuse from a range of individuals – which in Pakistan can include members of the sitting government.
In 2021, PPF documented the continuation of these attacks against the media with women journalists in particular being subjected to online hate campaigns for their work.
PPF has observed a trend in the current year of attacking journalists online as a way of intimidating and silencing them. Certain journalists have suffered the repercussions of their active presence online with abductions and the registration of cases.
The ruling Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) party has also participated and in some instances initiated Twitter hashtags that resulted in a slew of hate against media professionals.
Social media rules and attempts to increase government control of the media such as the proposed Pakistan Media Development Authority (PMDA) increase censorship and restrictions on the media, both in person and online. The PMDA will act as a muzzle on an already-restricted media.
In a positive development, on June 28, the provincial Sindh Assembly passed the landmark Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Bill 2021. Another Bill has been presented in the National Assembly but it is yet to be passed.
The overall state of press freedom in Pakistan during the current year presents a dismal picture with no improvement in terms of the physical violence journalists are subjected to. Furthermore, the use of social media platforms to threaten the media and to silence them via cases, adds to the fear and intimidation that media in Pakistan have to experience.
The two reports by PPF are available at:
