PAKISTAN MEDIA MONITOR – October 2024
A monthly report on trends relating to state of journalism and media rights, policies and practices
Tracking:
Media related laws, policies and regulations
The state of media professionalisms
The state of media economy
Threats and attacks against journalists and information practitioners
Vol. 5, No. 10 – October 2024 Edition
Produced by Freedom Network – www.fnpk.org
SECTION 1: Media related laws, policies, regulations, mechanisms
- Freedom of expression (FOE)
- Right to information (RTI), access to information (ATI)
- Federal and provincial governments (relevant ministries and departments)
- Media related regulators (PPC, PEMRA, PTA)
- Regulatory issues related to print, electronic and digital media
PPP Human Rights Cell calls for enforcing Right to Information law
Date: October 3, 2024 – Source: Dawn
Pakistan Peoples Party’s (PPP) human rights body urged implementation of Right to Information (RTI) law to ensure transparency, accountability and democracy in Pakistan.
Sindh High Court stays PIC directives for disclosing 1,000 loan defaulters
Date: October 4, 2024 – Source: The News
The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued an interim stay order on the directives of Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) with regard to the disclosure of the list of 1,000 big loan defaulters by the Governor State Bank of Pakistan (SBP).
WhatsApp woes strike again amid PTI protests
Date: October 5, 2024 – Source: The News
People across Pakistan faced sporadic internet outages due to security measures implemented to counter Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) protests. While almost all internet-dependent applications were affected, users in large numbers reported problems with operating WhatsApp functions.
Internet users face disruption in several cities
Date: October 6, 2024 – Source: Dawn
Internet slowdown was experienced by users in various parts of Pakistan, primarily due to overloading. The country had already been facing low bandwidth due to the upgradation of the Web Management System (WMS), commonly referred to as an ‘internet firewall’.
Balochistan cabinet decides to establish RTI commission
Date: October 29, 2024 – Source: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
The Balochistan cabinet decided to establish the provincial Right to Information (RTI) commission following amendments the relevant law, enabling citizens to access government documents under right to information laws.
SECTION 2: The state of media professionalisms
- Media independence issues
- Public interest journalism practices and challenges
- Ethical journalism issues
- The state of thematic journalism
- Community-focused media
- Misinformation / disinformation / fake news
The artificial intelligence dilemma
Date: October 12, 2024 – Source: The News
Propaganda machines have never had it easier. Artificial intelligence (AI) models can deliver misinformation at an unprecedented scale, using sophisticated algorithms to target specific groups and individuals.
Two sports channels get notices for showing logos of surrogate betting outlets
Date: October 12, 2024 – Source: The News
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) served show-cause notices on two private sports television channels for displaying logos of illegal surrogate betting companies on their screens.
FIA to probe ‘social media disinformation’ on alleged rape of college student
Date: October 16, 2024 – Source: Dawn
A probe by the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) was opened into ‘social media disinformation’ about the alleged rape of a college student as the girl’s family and her institution had made requests to lodge cases under the cybercrime law.
FIR lodged for spreading fake story of student’s rape
Date: October 17, 2024 – Source: Dawn
The police lodged a first information report (FIR) against those spreading ‘fake story’ of the alleged rape of a female student on social media to instigate students with a prime objective of creating violence, unrest and fear.
Date: October 17, 2024 – Source: The News
In a word, increasingly polemical, unscientific and sanctimonious national psyche has provided a fertile ground for the rise of anchorocracy. There can hardly be a better menu to satisfy the ravenous appetite for the intellectual, ethical, and aesthetic aspirations of such consciousness than a 45-minute program.
Dawn Media partners with WWF-Pakistan for ‘Breathe Pakistan’ climate initiative
Date: October 18, 2024 – Source: Dawn
Dawn Media partnered with the World Wide Fund for Nature-Pakistan (WWF) on its climate change initiative ‘Breathe Pakistan’ for a strategic collaboration aimed at tackling environmental challenges and promoting sustainable practices across Pakistan.
FIA identifies journalists, TikTokers for spreading ‘fake’ rape story
Date: October 18, 2024 – Source: Dawn
The Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) of the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) carried out province-wide raids for the arrest of some journalists, lawyers, TikTokers and arrested three of them for spreading ‘alleged’ rape story of a private girls’ college student which incited students to hold violent protests.
Lahore High Court full bench to hear cases on girls’ harassment, fake viral videos
Date: October 19, 2024 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Express Tribune, Source 3: Pakistan Today
Lahore High Court (LHC) Chef Justice Aalia Neelum expressed her displeasure over the failure of authorities to remove a viral video, based on ‘misinformation’ about an alleged rape involving a female student of a private college, from social media.
Probe finds rape story fabricated, spread via fake social media accounts
Date: October 19, 2024 – Source: Dawn
The Punjab government’s seven-member inquiry committee constituted to investigate the alleged rape of a private college student submitted its finding, concluding that no such incident occurred. The report revealed that the news of the rape was fabricated and spread via fake social media accounts.
Media-wary PML-N leader engages foreign press
Date: October 20, 2024 – Source: Express Tribune
Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) President Nawaz Sharif, who had dodged open dialogue with local journalists since his party won back power in both the center and Punjab, opened his doors to Indian journalists attending the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Islamabad.
FIA registers case against 38 individuals for spreading ‘fake’ rape story
Date: October 22, 2024 – Source: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
The Federal Investigation Agency’s (FIA) Cyber Crime Wing (CCW) registered a case against 38 individuals, including journalists and social media content creators, for spreading misinformation about an ‘alleged rape story’ at a private college in Lahore.
Punjab Assembly engaging in legislation on fake news, speaker tells UNDP team
Date: October 25, 2024 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: The Nation
Speaking to a delegation of the United Nations Development Program (UNDP), Punjab Assembly Speaker Malik Ahmed Khan said that legislation regarding fake news was on the anvil in the provincial legislature.
‘Fake news’ rape ignites tinderbox of legitimate fears
Date: October 25, 2024 – Source: The News
For police, reports of a college campus rape that went viral in Pakistan this month were ‘fake news’ fomenting unrest. For protesting students, the social media posts offer a rare public reckoning with sexual assault.
Columnist gets pre-arrest bail in fake news case
Date: October 26, 2024 – Source: Dawn
A sessions court granted pre-arrest bail to columnist and analyst Ayaz Amir in two similar cases of spreading ‘alleged’ rape story of a private college student which incited students and general public to hold violent protests across Punjab.
Date: October 26, 2024 – Source: The News
A chilling reminder of the perils of disinformation as well as misinformation recently struck Pakistan when what seem till now to be false rumors led to the tragic death of a 50-year-old man amid student protests in Lahore.
SECTION 3: The state of media economy
- Economic landscape of media industry
- Impact of Covid-19 on media resilience and sustainability
- Government and private advertising for media industry
- Advertising sector and its interface with media industry
- Business viability and sustainability of media
- Wages, salaries and arrears of journalists and media practitioners
Balochistan CM increases journalists’ welfare fund to Rs500 million
Date: October 16, 2024 – Source: Dawn
Balochistan Chief Minister Sarfraz Bugti increased the amount of Working Journalists Welfare Fund (WJWF) from Rs230 million to Rs500 million. He also allocated Rs200 million as seed money for the Quetta Press Club (QPC).
APNS condemns Punjab government’s amendment to procurement rules
Date: October 28, 2024 – Source: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
The All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS) denounced the Punjab government’s recent amendments to the Public Procurement Regulatory Authority (PPRA) rules, which resulted in a halt to newspaper tender advertisements.
Sindh government vows support for KPC’s development projects
Date: October 28, 2024 – Source: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
Chief Secretary Sindh Asif Hyder Shah met with a delegation from the Karachi Press Club (KPC) to discuss issues related to land allotment, development projects, and welfare schemes for members of the press club.
SECTION 4: Threats and attacks against media and information practitioners, including online
- Murders and killings
- Kidnappings and abductions
- Arrests and detentions
- Threats – verbal and written
- Harassment and intimidation – offline and online
- Surveillance, hacking and data breaches
- Legal cases for journalism-related work or free speech
- Impunity of crimes against journalists
- Censorship
PTA claims X shutdown decision rests with government
Date: October 2, 2024 – Source: Express Tribune
Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) Chairman Major General (retired) Hafeezur Rehman stated that the authority will unblock social media platform X (formerly Twitter) whenever the federal government directs.
Date: October 12, 2024 – Source: The News
The state’s continued practice of banning civil rights movements and silencing peaceful dissent is a dangerous misstep, especially when those advocating for their rights do so without crossing the line into violence.
Death penalty awarded to suspect for blasphemy, cybercrime
Date: October 13, 2024 – Source: Dawn
A special court handed death sentence and life imprisonment to a resident of Gujjar Khan on charges of blasphemy and cybercrime. The case highlights the intersection of blasphemy laws and cybercrime legislation in the country.
Call to ensure fair probe into blasphemy cases
Date: October 14, 2024 – Source: The News
Member of the Punjab Assembly (MPA) Ijaz Alam Augustine called on the state to amend the death penalty law, ensure impartial investigation of blasphemy cases, and release all innocent individuals.
Azma Bokhari’s comments riles journalists
Date: October 17, 2024 – Source: Dawn
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari became embroiled in a controversy for issuing ‘job threats’ to journalists ahead of Punjab Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz’s press conference in Lahore.
Two more suspects nominated in journalist’s murder case gets bail
Date: October 18, 2024 – Source: Dawn
The Anti-Terrorism Court (ATC) granted bail to two more accused nominated in the murder of journalist Jan Mohammad Mahar. The journalist was killed during the night intervening August 13 and 14 last year by unknown killers in Sukkur.
Three Waziristan journalists wrongly placed on terror watch list
Date: October 22, 2024 – Source: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
Three journalists from South Waziristan – Farooq Mehsud, Ishtiaque Mehsud and Aslam Mehsud – were mistakenly added by authorities to Pakistan’s Fourth Schedule under the Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA), a list meant for individuals suspected of terrorism or anti-state activities.
Ten police officers suspended after violence against journalists, women protesters
Date: October 22, 2024 – Source: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
Police authorities confirmed the suspension of ten officers for using violence against and arresting journalists and women protesters during a demonstration in Lahore.
Security officer transferred as YouTuber takes CJP’s photo
Date: October 28, 2024 – Source 1: The News, Source 2: Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF)
The Superintendent of Police (SP) of the Supreme Court (SC) was transferred after a YouTuber captured and released a picture of Chief Justice (CJ) Yahya Afridi offering prayers at a mosque located within the court’s premises.
OBJECTIVES: This series of monthly report aims to:
- Monitor the state of policies, regulations and mechanisms governing the media sector in Pakistan; the state of freedom of expression and right to information environment in the country and how these interfaces with media freedoms allowed or restricted via media regulations governed by the print, electronic and internet regulators.
- Track the state of media professionalisms in the country including ethical and public interest journalism practices and challenges, and the challenges of misinformation, disinformation and fake news phenomena.
- Follow the changing economic dynamics of the media industry and how they impact the business viability and sustainability of media and exploitation of media staff in lieu of their wages and arrears.
- Scrutinize threats and attacks against media and information practitioners, the state of impunity of crimes against journalists and efforts to provide justice for those aggrieved and distressed.
INFORMATION SOURCES: This report monitors, among others, the following sources of information:
- Government: Federal and provincial cabinets
- Ministries: Related ministries, including Information and Broadcasting, Information Technology (IT) and Telecom, Human Rights, Science and Technology, Commerce and Industry, etc.
- Legislatures: Senate, National Assembly, provincial assemblies, relevant standing committees
- Regulators: Pakistan telecommunications Authority (PTA), Pakistan Electronic Media regulatory Authority (PEMRA), Press Council of Pakistan (PPC), State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), etc.
- Global organizations: UN/Unesco, International Media Support (IMS), Reporters Without Borders (RSF), International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), Amnesty International (AI), Human Rights Watch (HRW), etc.
- National organizations: Digital Rights Foundation (DRF), BoloBhi, Media Matters for Democracy (MMFD), Institute for Research, Advocacy and Development (IRADA), Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), etc.
- Media: Dawn, The News, Express Tribune, The Nation, Pakistan Today, The Friday Times, etc.
- Social Media:Facebook, Twitter, etc.
- Local networks: Journalists Safety Hubs Network, Alliance on Diversity & Pluralism in Media, etc.
- Any other open public information sources.
