PFUJ calls for end to Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists
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.
JournalismPakistan.com | Published 10 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
The International Federation of Journalists (IFJ) and its affiliate the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) have expressed serious concerns over the recent state directives against upcoming television station, BOL News TV channel.
The IFJ and PFUJ have cautioned the government on the directives as they act as a form of censorship and impact on the jobs of hundreds of journalists, the IFJ said.
On May 28, the Federal Information Ministry wrote a letter to Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) asking it to stop the broadcasting of BOL News until the completion of a criminal investigation into its parent company, Axact.
BOL TV, currently in test transmission, was established by the chief executive officer of Axact, Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh. The company is currently under investigation for alleged scams involving fake degrees through fake online universities.
More than 2,300 journalists and media staff are employed by BOL TV. The IFJ and the PFUJ said these employees face an uncertain future due to the controversy surrounding BOL’s parent company and government directives to stop its transmission. Some of BOL’s senior journalists resigned in protest at the scandal.
The PFUJ said: “We are concerned in regard to protection of jobs of journalists and media staff. We ask the government to refrain from taking any controversial action, which might hurt the cause of journalists and render them jobless.”
The IFJ Asia Pacific says the ministry’s order to stop the broadcasting of the TV channel was clearly a censorship issue.
“No media should be harassed or ordered to close down simply because its parent company or investors are under investigation. Journalists are facing uncertainty with their jobs, so urgent action is needed to ensure staff are protected or appropriately compensated if the impacts of the investigation result in a loss of jobs.
Meanwhile, on May 13, 2015, the Pakistan Press Council (PCP) wrote to the All Pakistan Newspaper Society (APNS) requesting it refrain from writing negative reports about Yemen and Saudi Arabia. The letter stated: “The Chairman, PCP has desired that while reporting on Yemen Crisis and Saudi Arabia … Acute case should be taken to avoid negative comments to ensure about our bilateral friendly relations with Arab countries are not adversely affected.”
It also spelt out Article 19 (freedom of expression) and Article 19A (right to information) to detail the exceptions to freedom of expression as an added emphasis to its directive.
The PFUJ and the IFJ strongly urge the Pakistan authority to refrain from any activities or directives aimed at gagging media freedom and to observe protections to freedom of expression enshrined in Pakistan’s constitution. - IFJ
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.
October 30, 2025: NewsOne TV remains on air but faces mass layoffs and delayed salaries, exposing Pakistan’s worsening media crisis and financial instability.
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.
October 31, 2025 Radio Free Asia, a US government-funded broadcaster covering tightly controlled Asian media environments, has suspended all news operations after federal funding dried up.