New rules extend government control to Pakistani journalists, producers and fixers working with international media, raising fears of a new form of preventive censorship
Pakistan has introduced new rules for foreign media that extend state control not only over international correspondents but also over Pakistani journalists, producers, fixers, and other collaborators working for foreign news organizations.
The new Guidelines for the Facilitation of the Foreign Media and Their Associates Working in Pakistan, introduced in August 2026, have been presented by the government as a way to make the work of international media clearer, more transparent, and better organized. Journalists and human rights organizations, however, see them as another restriction on the already shrinking space for independent journalism in Pakistan.
The most controversial aspect concerns freedom of movement. Foreign journalists were already subject to restrictions when working outside Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. The new rules extend this system more systematically to Pakistani citizens working for international media organizations. To travel elsewhere in the country for journalistic work, prior government authorization is required.
This is not merely a bureaucratic detail. Some of the most important areas for journalists are located outside the three main cities: Pakistan-administered Kashmir, Balochistan, and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, regions affected by protests, armed conflict, military operations, insurgencies, and allegations of human rights violations. Restricting journalists’ ability to reach these areas can also restrict what can be documented and reported.
The government’s External Publicity Wing plays a central role in this system. The office manages the registration and accreditation of both foreign journalists and Pakistani citizens working for international media organizations.
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