ISLAMABAD: Several international press freedom and human rights organizations have written to Pakistani Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, raising serious concerns over the continued deterioration of media freedom in Pakistan.
In a joint letter, the Committee to Protect Journalists, alongside 17 other organizations, highlighted that the recent legal and institutional developments, coupled with persistent failures to ensure accountability for attacks on journalists, have created a worsening environment for members of the media in Pakistan.
The group urged the Pakistani government to take immediate action to uphold Pakistan's obligations under the Constitution and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights (ICCPR), which guarantee freedom of expression and the press, and require protection of journalists from violence, intimidation, and unlawful interference.
The signatories noted that Pakistan's press freedom situation, which was already challenging, has worsened since the adoption of the 27th constitutional amendment in November 2025.
"The amendment led to the establishment of the Federal Constitutional Court (FCC), a development that has coincided with a weakening of judicial oversight and accountability in cases involving attacks on the media. Rather than strengthening protections for journalists, these changes have contributed to a more restrictive and uncertain environment for independent journalism. Judicial inaction in high-profile murder cases has reinforced a pattern of impunity that continues to endanger the press," the letter detailed. (IANS)
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