CPNE unveils damning media freedom report

The annual 2025 Media Freedom Report released by the Press Freedom and Monitoring Committee of the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors (CPNE) has revealed that "despite complete control and censorship over Pakistani media", journalists faced serious threats in the outgoing year.

These threats include killings, arrests, treason cases, forced off-air orders, bank account closures, inclusion on the Exit Control List (ECL), and the withdrawal of institutional advertisements.

According to the report, in 2025, five journalists were killed; six faced cases, arrests, or government actions and three were subjected to harassment or intimidation.

During the course of the year, two press conferences were blocked; two media offices were attacked and two serious incidents of violence occurred. Moreover, two major digital restrictions and one controversial piece of legislation severely affected freedom of expression.

In addition, several journalists faced extraordinary measures such as suspension of national identity cards, frozen bank accounts, and actions under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA), 2016.

Uniformity in the content published and broadcast across Pakistan's print and electronic media has raised serious questions about the state of independent journalism.

Consequently, Pakistan has dropped six ranks in the 2025 Reporters Without Borders (RSF) World Press Freedom Index, landing at 158th place, down from 152nd in 2024.

Strict government policies, coercive use of the PECA Act, controlled advertisement policies, press advisories, and censorship have forced many newspapers to close. Newsrooms of major media groups are now empty, and many publications have been compelled to lay off staff.