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. 6, No. 8 – AUGUST 2026 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 invokes Right to Information Act for details on Punjab’s development schemes
Date: August 1, 2026 – Source: The News
The Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) approached the Punjab government’s Planning and Development Board (PDB) seeking certified records of the province’s flagship development initiatives, invoking the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information (RTI) Act.
Islamabad High Court suspends order for disclosure of cricketers’ salaries, perks
Date: August 5, 2026 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: The Nation
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) suspended a Pakistan Information Commission (PIC) order directing the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) to disclose its annual budgets, audit reports, player and selection-committee remuneration, and spending on the 2026 T20 World Cup.
Punjab Information Commission issues show-cause notice to Sargodha DC over RTI complaint
Date: August 5, 2026 – Source: The News
The Punjab Information Commission (PIC) issued a show cause notice to Deputy Commissioner Sargodha Hussain Raza after observing that the district administration had allegedly failed to provide information sought under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2013, despite repeated directions.
Punjab Information Commission questions massive RTI fee demands by irrigation department
Date: August 6, 2026 – Source: The News
The Punjab Information Commission (PIC) intervened after three Irrigation Department offices demanded millions from a citizen seeking flood-related records, ordering the department to reassess the fees and provide the remaining information before the next hearing.
Pakistan Information Commission declares PBC a ‘public body’ under RTI law
Date: August 7, 2026 – Source: The News
The Pakistan Information Commission (PIC), for the first time, designated the Pakistan Bar Council (PBC) as a “public body” under the Right to Information Act, 2017, and ordered the body to release the requested records within 15 days.
National Assembly paid lawyers Rs35 million to keep lid on RTI requests
Date: August 19, 2026 – Source: Dawn
The National Assembly Secretariat spent over Rs35 million on private lawyers between 2022 and 2026, largely to contest cases seeking disclosure of information under Pakistan’s right to information (RTI) laws.
PIC issues notice to official for withholding property records
Date: August 21, 2026 – Source: The News
The Punjab Information Commission (PIC) issued a show cause notice to the Public Information Officer (PIO) of the deputy commissioner Lahore office for allegedly failing to facilitate access to property records sought by a petitioner under the Punjab Transparency and Right to Information Act, 2023.
RTI activist withdraws appeal after two-year wait for records
Date: August 25, 2026 – Source: The News
A two-year dispute over access to information on the hiring and pay of PTV anchorpersons took a new turn, with RTI activist Saddia Mazhar withdrawing her appeal in protest, even as the Pakistan Information Commission said the Information Ministry had already provided the records she sought.
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
Murad Saeed ordered to pay Rs2.5 million to minister in defamation suit
Date: August 2, 2026 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Express Tribune, Source 3: Business Recorder (BR)
A local court in Islamabad decreed a defamation suit filed by Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal against former parliamentarian Murad Saeed, directing the latter to pay Rs2.5 million over unsubstantiated allegations of corruption linked to the Multan-Sukkur Motorway project.
Date: August 2, 2026 – Source: The News
Reliable climate data remains scarce for environmental journalists in Pakistan, and even official figures are hard to verify. Limited resources, restricted records and gaps between reported statistics and on-ground realities make evidence-based climate reporting difficult.
Media bodies must hold fake news peddlers accountable, says provincial minister
Date: August 7, 2026 – Source 1: The News, Source 2: Business Recorder (BR)
Punjab Information Minister Azma Bokhari urged media organizations to strengthen self-regulation to curb fake news, misinformation and propaganda, saying those spreading falsehoods on digital platforms cannot be regarded as journalists.
Pakistan’s rich heritage, as seen through photojournalists’ lens
Date: August 8, 2026 – Source: Dawn
At least 85 photojournalists from the twin cities showcased their work at the 16th Annual RIPJA Photo Exhibition, a gathering that highlighted Pakistan’s diverse cultural heritage and the community’s growing visual storytelling talent.
Newspaper apologizes over publishing fake state boundary notification
Date: August 10, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
Peshawar-based Daily Aaj issued an apology after running a lead story falsely claiming that Tehsil Ghazi in Haripur district had been transferred to Punjab. The paper said it withdrew the report once it determined that the Interior Ministry notification it relied on was fabricated.
Defamatory content: Social media pages apologize to Sindh minister, son
Date: August 12, 2026 – Source 1: The News, Source 2: Express Tribune
Several social media pages issued apologies to Sindh Minister Sharjeel Memon and his son, Rawal Sharjeel, after posting content about the Mir Raza Ali murder case that they later acknowledged was false or unverified.
Apna Panel wins RIPJA elections
Date: August 17, 2026 – Source: The News
The “Apna Panel” swept the Rawalpindi-Islamabad Photojournalist’s Association’s annual elections, with all its nominees elected unopposed, according to a press release issued after the completion of the electoral process.
Date: August 23, 2026 – Source: Dawn
Coverage becomes allegiance. Every story is cast as either ‘for’ or ‘against’. Every panel is staged like a scoreboard. Every channel has dropped a name when instructed and revived it when convenient. If journalism is never allowed to stand as an independent act, why would anyone recognize it as one.
Date: August 26, 2026 – Source: Dawn
Journalism has weathered technological disruptions before, but this moment is different. Artificial intelligence not only decides which report reaches an audience – it can rewrite that report, blend it with weaker sources, and deliver the final product without the reader ever coming near a newsroom.
Halting hate speech in its tracks
Date: August 30, 2026 – Source: The News
Political dissent should not attract censorship. To earn the goodwill and confidence of its citizens, state authorities must encourage fact-based opinions and constructive criticism. Freedom of speech must not be curtailed simply on account of opposition and criticism.
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
ECC approves Rs13 billion lifeline for struggling public broadcaster
Date: August 5, 2026 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Pakistan Today, Source 3: Investify
The Economic Coordination Committee (ECC) approved a Rs13 billion supplementary grant for Pakistan Television Corporation (PTVC) to cover salaries and operational expenses, falling short of the Information Ministry’s Rs20 billion request for allowances, utilities, and other costs.
Social media influencers to pay 10pc withholding tax
Date: August 12, 2026 – Source: Business Recorder (BR)
The Federal Board of Revenue’s (FBR) new Withholding Tax Card 2026 showed that non-filer digital content creators and social media influencers will face a 10 percent withholding tax on revenue earned from social media platforms.
Body to oversee plots’ distribution among journalists
Date: August 13, 2026 – Source: Dawn
The Senate Standing Committee on Information and Broadcasting constituted a three-member sub-committee to oversee the distribution of plots and flats reserved for journalists and media workers by the Federal Government Employees Housing Authority (FGEHA).
Dawn News job cuts deepen media employment crisis
Date: August 18, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
Dawn News reportedly laid off about 60 staff members across Karachi, Islamabad, Lahore and Peshawar, extending a wave of job cuts and restructuring at the outlet. The channel has not publicly confirmed the figure or explained the reductions.
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
Islamabad High Court directs NCCIA to provide journalist with details of allegations
Date: August 1, 2026 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Express Tribune, Source 3: Business Recorder (BR)
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) ordered the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) to provide journalist Asad Toor with details of allegations against him in connection with a summon issued by the agency.
Government criticizes Al Jazeera’s AJK coverage
Date: August 3, 2026 – Source: Express Tribune
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting accused Qatari news outlet Al Jazeera of “selective reporting” on the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, saying the broadcaster had sought to misrepresent the electoral process in the semi-autonomous region.
Al Jazeera website becomes inaccessible in Pakistan
Date: August 3, 2026 – Source 1: Journalism Pakistan (JP), Source 2: Digital Rights Foundation (DRF)
Pakistan’s Information Ministry accused Al Jazeera of “selective reporting” during the Azad Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) elections, and soon after, Al Jazeera’s English-language website became inaccessible to many users in Pakistan, though no authority confirmed imposing the ban.
TV cameraman assaulted after trying to film political clash in Karachi
Date: August 3, 2026 – Source: The News
A violent clash erupted between two Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) factions in Karachi, drawing in not only party workers but also members of the press. Amid the chaos, a cameraman from a private television channel was assaulted while attempting to record the confrontation.
Lahore High Court restrains NCCIA from action against YouTuber
Date: August 4, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
The Lahore High Court (LHC) barred the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) from taking any action against YouTuber Imran Shafqat while it reviewed his jurisdictional challenge, seeking the agency’s reply and adjourning the hearing.
Journalist shot dead in Dera Allahyar
Date: August 5, 2026 – Source: Dawn
A local journalist, Nazar Muhammad Kanrani, was shot dead in Dera Allahyar’s Ladies Bazaar area when an unidentified armed man opened fire. He died instantly, while his brother, was wounded in the attack.
Date: August 6, 2026 – Source: Dawn
The government’s Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines require clearance for reporting outside Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi. Introduced after critical Azad and Jammu and Kashmir (AJK) election coverage, they function less as facilitation and more as control, damaging Pakistan’s global image.
Pakistan broadens foreign media curbs to local staff, drawing backlash
Date: August 7, 2026 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: The News, Source 3: Reuters
Pakistan tightened controls on foreign media, for the first time moving to regulate the movement of Pakistani nationals working for international outlets. Previously, only foreign journalists faced routine restrictions on travel outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
HRCP, PFUJ express concern over new rules for foreign press
Date: August 7, 2026 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Express Tribune, Source 3: Pakistan Today
The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) raised concerns about media freedom after the government required foreign journalists to obtain permission before travelling to any city outside Islamabad, Lahore, or Karachi for reporting.
Islamabad High Court restrains NCCIA against vlogger
Date: August 8, 2026 – Source: Express Tribune
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) restrained the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) from harassing vlogger and YouTuber Asad Ali Toor during an inquiry and summoned the investigation officer to appear before the court in person.
Peshawar High Court stops arrest, deportation of two Afghan journalists, their families
Date: August 10, 2026 – Source: Dawn
The Peshawar High Court (PHC) stopped law enforcement agencies from arresting or deporting two Afghan journalists and their families awaiting resettlement in a third country and referred their cases to the federal government for granting them permission of temporary stay or asylum here.
Cybercrime probes deepen pressure on journalists
Date: August 10, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
A clear pattern is emerging in Pakistan: cybercrime inquiries, repeated notices, and procedural disputes are becoming a growing source of pressure on journalists, with courts stepping in repeatedly in cases to address concerns about due process and the conduct of investigations.
South Asian rights leaders decry state pressure on media in Pakistan
Date: August 13, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
A group of South Asian human rights leaders sounded the alarm over what it described as the continued suppression of the media in Pakistan, warning that journalists were being targeted by state agencies through pressures on news organizations, restrictive laws, and economic measures.
Filmmaker moves court against curb on screening of Ghost School
Date: August 16, 2026 – Source: Dawn
The Sindh High Court (SHC) issued notices to the secretary of culture department and the Sindh Board of Film Censors on a petition filed against blocking the screening of film titled Ghost School in the province.
Date: August 16, 2026 – Source: The News
The most important rule for the digital age is also the simplest: before we click, comment or share, we should remember that what happens on a screen can have consequences in the real world. Technology may be digital; society is still human.
Sindh High Court shields media persons from ‘coercive’ NCCIA action
Date: August 19, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
The Sindh High Court (SHC) restrained the National Cyber Crime Investigation Agency (NCCIA) from taking coercive action against staff members of private media outlet Raftar in connection with online defamation and harassment inquiry.
HRCP moves to build national free speech alliance
Date: August 19, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
Journalists, editors, digital media practitioners, academics and activists agreed to form a national alliance to push back against mounting restrictions on free expression. The decision came at a roundtable convened by the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) in Karachi.
Council seeks answers on journalists’ arrests
Date: August 20, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
The Human Rights Council of Pakistan (HRCP) condemned the detentions of journalist Razi Tahir and Kashmiri poet and journalist Ahmad Farhad, demanding that authorities disclose the legal basis of holding them and ensure their access to lawyers and the courts.
AJK government places journalist on anti-terror watchlist
Date: August 21, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
Journalist Danish Irshad was placed on the Fourth Schedule under the anti-terrorism law in Pakistan-administered Jammu and Kashmir, prompting concern over the use of counter-terrorism measures against a journalist covering the region’s politics, protests and human rights situation.
Court directs Sindh’s censors to ‘reconsider’ decision to block film Ghost School’s screening
Date: August 22, 2026 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Express Tribune
The Sindh High Court (SHC) directed the Sindh Board of Film Censors (SBFC) to decide afresh after affording an opportunity of hearing to parties concerned on an application seeking permission for screening of film Ghost School in the province.
CPNE steps up monitoring of press freedom violations
Date: August 22, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
The Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) moved to more systematically collect and verify reports of press freedom violations for its annual media freedom review, amid rising concerns over journalist safety, legal pressure, press club closures and mounting newsroom job losses.
What happens when authorities seize a journalist’s phone?
Date: August 22, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
A journalist’s phone may contain confidential contacts, unpublished investigations, photographs, recordings, location history, passwords, and conversations with sources. When authorities seize it, the consequences can extend far beyond temporarily depriving the reporter of equipment.
Islamabad High Court to regulate social media use by children
Date: August 23, 2026 – Source 1: Dawn, Source 2: Express Tribune
The Islamabad High Court (IHC) was petitioned to direct the government to develop legislation and a regulatory framework for social media use by children under 16. The petition argued that minors faced increasing online risks and called on the state to establish a legal mechanism to safeguard them.
Journalist’s release delayed amid health concerns
Date: August 24, 2026 – Source: Journalism Pakistan (JP)
Journalist and poet Ahmad Farhad remained in custody despite reported verbal directives for his release, while his family warned that his health had deteriorated and that doctors had recommended transferring him to the federal capital for further treatment.
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.
