On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day [2], Pakistan-based independent media and civil liberties organization Freedom Network [3] released a report [4] that revealed that journalists in Pakistan have been targeted mostly by state actors in the past one year (May 2021 to April 2022) during the now ousted Imran Khan [5] government, resulting in violence, legal cases, abductions, detentions and threats. Pakistan also registered a steep decline of 12 points in the World Press Freedom Index 2022 [6].
According to the report,
86 instances of attacks on journalists across Pakistan. The highest number of attacks — 32 — were recorded [7] in the capital territory, Islamabad [8]; Sindh province [9] came in second with 23 attacks on journalists.
Most Dangerous Areas for #Journalists [10] in #Pakistan [11] #FreedomNetwork [12] releases annual Pakistan Press Freedom Report 2022#JournalismIsNotACrime [13] #wpfd2022 [14]#wpfd [15]https://t.co/Uxc28D22RZ [16] pic.twitter.com/k4Ou5RfxBi [17]
— Freedom Network (@pressfreedompk) April 29, [18]2022
The report also mentions the highest number of attacks were carried out on the homes [19] of journalists, while two journalists were killed.
List of Threats #DigitalJournalists [20] faced with in #Pakistan [11] #FreedomNetwork [12] releases annual Pakistan Press Freedom Report 2022#JournalismIsNotACrime [13] #WPFD2022 [21]#wpfd [15]https://t.co/Uxc28D22RZ [16] pic.twitter.com/nks7UKJo58 [22]
— Freedom Network (@pressfreedompk) April 29, 2022 [23]
The report also listed [24] that state actors and functionaries targeted journalists in Pakistan the most — 35 cases. The most targeted medium [25] was television (39 cases), followed by print media (35 cases).
A steep decline in the World Press Freedom Index
According to the World Press Freedom Index 2o22 [6] report, Pakistan has dropped 12 points in the index, from a rank of 145 in 2021 to 157 in 2022.
Writer Madiha Afzal documents how Pakistan and a number of South Asian countries rank low in press freedom.
RSF press freedom index 2022 – how the countries of South Asia rank among major powers & the world:
#1 – Norway
#42 – America
#76 – Nepal
#146 – Sri Lanka
#150 – India
#155 – Russia
#156 – Afghanistan
#157 – Pakistan
#162 – Bangladesh
#175 – China
#180 – North Korea (the bottom)— Madiha Afzal (@MadihaAfzal) May 4, 2022 [26]
Many on social media highlighted this decline in press freedom in Pakistan.
Journalist Waleed Tariq highlighted the drop:
@RSF_inter [27] releases its annual World Press Freedom Index 2022.
Pakistan, which was previously ranked 145 out of 180 countries, falls a further 12 places to 157 in the latest index.
Dark red – Very serious situation pic.twitter.com/Ln5RWJKkcw [28]
— Waleed Tariq (@WaleedTariq89) May 3, 2022 [29]
Motivational speaker Shafique Khan tweeted:
It’s time to ask questions to @ImranKhanPTI [30] when he came into power in 2018 Pakistan was ranked at 139 on World Press Index, Pakistan came down at 157 in 2022. Why Pakistan lost 18 points under his regime? Why was he declared a press freedom predator by @RSF_inter [27] in 2021?
— Sir Shafique Khan (@Shafiqu98756666) May 8, 2022 [31]
The new Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif [32] also condemned Imran Khan's legacy on Twitter:
Pakistan fell 12 points on Press Freedom Index during last year of Imran Khan's govt & 18 points during his tenure. It not only earned him shameful title of “press freedom predator” but also placed our democracy in bad light. We are fully committed to freedom of press & speech!
— Shehbaz Sharif (@CMShehbaz) May 4, 2022 [33]
Read More: Pakistan's proposed media development authority could further curb freedom of media (October 2021) [34]
The reports are contrary to what former Prime Minister Imran Khan said in his speeches regarding the free press. In one of his statements [35] in September 2021 he said, “Media enjoyed ‘more freedom than ever’ under PTI's govt.” In another statement on March 1, 2022, he blamed a section of media that was critical of his policies for joining hands with the mafia [36], indirectly pointing towards the other political parties.
However, during the tenure of Imran Khan, female journalists were harassed, threatened and subjected to severe online abuse [38]. In 2020 some female journalists also met [39] the Chairman Pakistan Peoples Party and former Chairman National Assembly Standing Committee on Human Rights Bilawal Bhutto [40] to record their complaint.
Archen Baloch, a journalist from Balochistan tweeted:
The restrictions Pakistan imposed on Balochistan include:
1. No int'l media is allowed to enter Balochistan
2. No foreign country, except Iran, is allowed to establish general consulate office in Balochistan's cities #Quetta [42] #Gwadar [43] #Turbat [44] #Khuzdar [45]https://t.co/fq3KBK8pXD [46]— Archen Baloch (@ArchenBaloch) May 4, 2022 [47]
You can download the Pakistan Press Freedom report 2021-2022 by Freedom Network from here [1].