Dawn urges PM to address curbs on media

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 2 February 2022

Dawn has called on Prime Minister Imran Khan to address the growing threats against journalists in Pakistan. An editorial highlights alarming issues around media safety and financial stability.

Summary

ISLAMABAD—Dawn newspaper on Wednesday regretted that Prime Minister Imran Khan has little sympathy for journalists under threat and has spoken dismissively about serious cases such as the disappearances of journalists.

In an editorial—Persecuted media—the paper maintained that the media advisors of the prime minister are often in the limelight for trolling journalists on social media or making unprofessional and personal comments about them.

The editorial commented on a media freedom report compiled by the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors. According to the paper, the report paints an abysmal picture of the realities of being a journalist. It highlights how five journalists were killed in the line of duty in the last year alone and how overall attempts to stifle the media and block access to information have grown.

It said the financial standing of media houses has also worsened. Two media workers took their lives due to unemployment. The situation today, the report concludes, is worse than during the previous two years.

The paper asked the prime minister to address this situation as the bars on media freedom would be part of his legacy.