Journalists Tour Gaza City Under Israeli Military Supervision Amid Ongoing Offensive
October 5, 2025
Sudanese Reporter Killed Amid RSF Assault in El Fasher
October 5, 2025
October 05, 2025 – Pakistan –
In early October 2025, Pakistan’s Ministry of Information published a controversial half-page advertisement in major newspapers, warning citizens of an “enemy hiding behind the veil of technology and the internet.” The ad suggested that some individuals “disguised as reporters, freelancers, or NGO workers” may be extracting sensitive information to foment unrest and chaos.
Media watchdogs and human rights groups immediately decried the advertisement as a dangerous and reckless attempt to stigmatize journalists and civil society actors. The Freedom Network, the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), and several other organizations issued a joint statement asserting that the ad casts reporters, NGO personnel, and independent media as threats to national security. In so doing, it undermines press freedom—which is constitutionally protected under Article 19—and emboldens harassment and hostility toward media workers.
Critics argue that the ad’s narrative broadens a climate of suspicion under which independent voices already operate. In recent years, Pakistani journalists, bloggers, and civil rights activists have faced pressure through surveillance, lawsuits under electronic crimes legislation, and arbitrary restrictions online. The new ad amplifies a chilling effect, potentially legitimizing attacks, intimidation, or censorship by state and nonstate actors.
Beyond rhetoric, civil society groups warn that the advertisement could rationalize policies or actions that further suppress dissent. For instance, encouraging citizens to report “suspicious” NGO workers or reporters—without legal safeguards—risks normalizing surveillance and targeting of legitimate civil society actors.
The backlash also reflects growing alarm over Pakistan’s shrinking civic space. The government has, in recent months, escalated crackdown efforts in digital domains and increased pressure on opposition voices. The advertisement is seen as part of a broader strategy to frame critical reporting or dissenting views as threats to national stability.
In response, civil society coalitions have demanded that the Ministry immediately withdraw the campaign, issue clarifications, and restore trust with journalists and NGOs. They call for a return to policies that support independent media rather than vilify it—and for clear legal protections to shield those who report, criticize, and advocate from becoming collateral in an “information war.”
Reference –
https://www.dawn.com/news/1946208
