JournalismPakistan.com | Published September 13, 2019
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD — Veteran journalist Najam Sethi says things are really bad in the Pakistani media.
Speaking to the Committee to Protect Journalists, he said he had lived through many authoritarian regimes and periods of censorship. “But what is happening now is unprecedented.”
“Every time we ask a question, our credentials are challenged. We are accused of being treasonable. Efforts are afoot to gag us.”
The censorship is such that “we are told we cannot use certain words; we can’t interview certain people. We cannot show demonstrations by a certain political party. One by one, they are taking off anyone who is outspoken.”
Sethi said the channel he worked for — 24 News — was taken off air for four days once, and then three days because of things he said.
“The fact that they can pull the plug on you, the fact that there is nothing you can do is a huge disincentive for freedom of press.”
He said people are wary of criticizing the national security instiutions, and rightly so. But at the end of the day, when these institutions meddle in politics, then they bring themselves into disrepute.
He pointed out that pressure comes from various sources. “One phone call from anyone who is anyone in the organs of the state — to the cable operators to take a channel off and they will do it. It kills you because if your channel is not being shown, the advertisers pull out. There’s no revenue, you can’t pay your salaries, and then you have to layoff staff. That’s what is happening.”
Sethi said that the courts have to protect the media. “If the courts protect us things would be different. International organizations have to raise a hue and cry every time an untoward thing happens. But more than anything else, we have to stand up and resist. It is not going to be easy. There’s a price to be paid for it.”
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 10, 2025: The Azad Jammu and Kashmir government has filed a case against The Daily Jammu & Kashmir and its staff for alleged fake news, drawing condemnation from PFUJ and IFJ, who demand immediate withdrawal of the FIR and an end to media repression in Pakistan.
April 08, 2025: Journalist Arzoo Kazmi alleges that Pakistan's state agencies, including the FIA, have blocked her CNIC, passport, and bank account while threatening her. She calls it a direct attack on journalism.
April 07, 2025: The Islamabad High Court has directed IG Islamabad to produce journalist Ahmad Noorani’s missing brothers, as the Ministry of Defence denies custody. SIM activity was traced in Bahawalpur, and investigations into their suspected abduction continue.
April 07, 2025: Journalist and Raftar founder Farhan Mallick has been granted bail by a Karachi court in a case concerning anti-state content aired on his YouTube channel. He still faces separate charges related to an alleged illegal call center and data theft.
April 03, 2025: Veteran journalist Ghulam Abbas Shah has joined Discover Pakistan Television as the Head of Programming. With 25 years of experience in leading news organizations, he looks forward to contributing to quality storytelling and content.
April 02, 2025: The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has strongly condemned the visit of a group of Pakistani journalists to Israel, calling it a violation of journalistic ethics and a betrayal of press freedom and human rights. PFUJ demands a transparent investigation into the matter.
March 30, 2025: Dawn criticizes Pakistan’s plan to use TV dramas against extremism, highlighting financial and digital challenges. Can media alone solve deep-rooted issues?
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.
April 01, 2025 Assam Police arrested digital journalist Dilwar Hussain Mozumder for covering a protest against alleged corruption at Assam Co-Operative Bank. Media organizations have condemned the arrest, calling it an attack on press freedom.
March 29, 2025 A federal judge has blocked the Trump administration’s attempt to dismantle Voice of America (VOA), ruling that the move likely violated legal procedures. The decision protects over 1,200 journalists and media staff.
March 28, 2025 Turkey deports BBC journalist Mark Lowen over 'public order' threat and fines opposition TV channels covering Istanbul Mayor's arrest. Critics condemn crackdown on press freedom amid rising political tensions.