PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007 emergency as Pakistan’s darkest day
November 03, 2025: PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007, as Pakistan’s darkest day under Musharraf, urging protection for journalists and the abolition of laws threatening press freedom.
JournalismPakistan.com | Published 7 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD – Dawn has reportedly refused to publish S. Akbar Zaidi’s articles on political issues because of the problems the paper faces with the military and its agencies.
The paper is said to have told the writer who is a political economist, that the threats are “very serious.”
In an email extract available on a social media platform, Zaidi reportedly wrote: "Dawn has said that they cannot publish my articles on political issues because of censorship problems that they are facing with regard to the military and its agencies. They say that the threats are very serious.”
Zaidi has written articles for Dawn for several years.
Distribution of Dawn has been disrupted in many parts of the country including military cantonments after the paper published an exclusive report on the state of civil-military relations in October 2016.
The Committee to Protect Journalists recently quoted Dawn Editor Zaffar Abbas as saying: "We believe it's the right of the military or any institution to buy or discontinue any newspaper. Our only objection was on stoppages of delivery to civilians living in such cantonments."
The Press Council of Pakistan - a media regulatory body - issued a notice to Dawn regarding the article for "alleged violation of the ethical code of practice," pointing to a clause that calls on the press to avoid printing material that undermines Pakistan's "sovereignty and integrity as an independent country.
There are also reports of a second notice issued by the Press Council of Pakistan to the paper over another article that it published in recent weeks.
Photo courtesy: Dawn
November 03, 2025: PFUJ recalls November 3, 2007, as Pakistan’s darkest day under Musharraf, urging protection for journalists and the abolition of laws threatening press freedom.
November 02, 2025: PFUJ urges Pakistan’s federal and provincial governments to end Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists and ensure their safety and press freedom.
November 02, 2025: Impunity for crimes against journalists deepens worldwide as Pakistan reports a 60 percent surge in attacks and weak enforcement of safety laws.
November 01, 2025: Pakistan Press Foundation reports 137 attacks on journalists in 2025, highlighting rising threats, legal harassment, and censorship on the International Day to End Impunity.
November 01, 2025: A viral Samaa TV clip featuring MNA Sher Afzal Marwat’s crude remarks and Talat Hussain’s laughter raises questions about the declining ethics of Pakistani television.
October 31, 2025: Police foiled a plot to kill DawnNewsTV journalist Tahir Naseer in Rawalpindi after arresting suspects hired for Rs200,000. Naseer says threats followed his reporting.
October 31, 2025: CPJ calls on Pakistan to bring Imtiaz Mir’s killers to justice after the journalist was allegedly murdered by a banned militant group in Karachi.
October 30, 2025: The PFUJ has condemned a fabricated drug case against journalist Matiullah Jan, calling it an attempt to silence him and urging authorities to quash the charges immediately.
November 03, 2025 Global journalist unions condemn the Indonesian agriculture minister’s lawsuit against Tempo, calling it a threat to press freedom and demanding that the case be withdrawn.
November 02, 2025 Independent outlet All About Macau to halt print and online operations amid rising pressure, financial strain, and legal threats, sparking press freedom concerns in the city.
November 01, 2025 Belarus court jails journalist Siarhei Chabotska for extremism and defaming the president, highlighting Minsk’s ongoing crackdown on press freedom.
November 01, 2025 Mexican journalist Miguel Angel Beltran was found murdered in Durango. CPJ urges authorities to ensure justice amid rising violence against journalists in Mexico.
November 01, 2025 UNESCO survey finds one-third of media lawyers cannot effectively defend journalists due to threats, limited resources, and lack of specialization.