Pakistani authorities have introduced new restrictions requiring foreign media to obtain permission before reporting outside three designated cities. Media organizations have criticized this as a severe suppression of press freedom.
On 5 Aug 2026 GMT+7, foreign news agencies reported that Pakistan's government issued new guidelines for foreign media. Foreign correspondents, including Pakistani journalists and freelancers working for foreign outlets, must obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before reporting outside the three major cities of Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore.
Pakistani authorities claim the measures do not restrict freedom but serve as an "administrative mechanism" to facilitate coordination, verify identity, and ensure security, with the power to revoke licenses if actions threaten national security or public order.
Media organizations and legal experts counter that these measures severely restrict press freedom, risk spreading misinformation, and are merely administrative orders lacking legal authority.
This sudden directive follows foreign media outlets, including the BBC, reporting on violent protests and clashes in Pakistan-administered Kashmir (PAK), where dozens have died and locals are boycotting local elections.
Pakistani authorities ordered foreign journalists in PAK to leave immediately and temporarily blocked Al Jazeera’s website in the country after its reports on the unrest.
The law, called the “Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026,” does not specify how long the application process for the so-called No Objection Certificate (NOC) will take.
Currently, foreign journalists already need to obtain an NOC, often waiting months or receiving no response, severely impacting urgent on-the-ground reporting in Pakistan, which ranks 153rd out of 180 in the World Press Freedom Index.
Foreign media often rely on local Pakistani journalists who can move more freely or are permanently based in cities like Peshawar or Quetta to verify information.
Under the new restrictions, any independent journalist living outside the three designated cities must also obtain an NOC to report.
Follow international news:https://www.thairath.co.th/news/foreign
Source:bbc