Pakistan tightens grip on local staff working for foreign outlets

The government’s directive, issued via a WhatsApp channel, mandates that all Pakistani staff working for international organizations must register with state authorities. While officials claim the policy is not designed to stifle investigative journalism, critics view it as a calculated move to curtail independent reporting. Patricia Gossman of Human Rights Watch labeled the move an alarming escalation in the ongoing erosion of press freedom within the country.

Media organizations, including the BBC and Reuters, have publicly challenged the restrictions, asserting that journalists must be free to report without state interference. The timing of the mandate coincides with heightened unrest in Pakistan-administered Kashmir, where recent regional elections faced violent protests. Authorities have already ordered foreign outlets to vacate the region and restricted access to websites like Al Jazeera. Pakistan currently sits at 153rd out of 180 countries on the Reporters Without Borders press freedom index, a ranking categorized as very serious.