Global impunity for journalist murders worsens as Pakistan sees 60 percent rise in attacks

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 2 November 2025 |  JP Staff Report

Violence against journalists is escalating worldwide, with a notable rise in attacks in Pakistan. Reports indicate a 60% increase in journalist-related incidents, underscoring the urgent need for reforms and accountability.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — Violence against journalists is worsening worldwide, with justice remaining elusive in most cases, Dawn observed in an editorial titled Unanswered murders published Saturday. The paper noted that the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes Against Journalists comes amid an alarming rise in killings and state inaction across multiple countries.

According to the International Federation of Journalists (IFJ), at least 99 journalists and media workers have been killed so far in 2025, mostly in Gaza, Ukraine, and Sudan. The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) has warned that the persistent failure to prosecute perpetrators emboldens those who target reporters, further eroding the public’s right to know. UNESCO adds that nine out of ten journalist murders remain unsolved, underscoring a deeply entrenched culture of impunity.

Citing examples of slain journalists including Shireen Abu Akleh, Javier Valdez Cárdenas, and Ján Kuciak, Dawn stressed that their families continue to wait for justice while governments evade accountability. The paper described this global indifference as “a moral collapse, not a regional flaw.”

This year’s international theme — “Chat GBV: Raising Awareness on AI-facilitated Gender-Based Violence against Women Journalists” — highlights the emerging threat of technology-driven abuse. Deepfakes, doxxing, and algorithmic harassment are increasingly used to silence women reporters, often forcing them out of public life. Dawn noted that such digital abuse amounts to “psychological warfare” and deprives society of diverse and fair storytelling.

In Pakistan, the picture remains bleak. The Freedom Network’s 2025 impunity report recorded a 60 percent surge in attacks and legal actions against journalists between November 2024 and September 2025, documenting 142 cases nationwide. Government authorities were implicated in seven out of ten incidents, while Islamabad and Punjab each accounted for 28 percent of violations.

The Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) confirmed similar trends, reporting 137 cases of threats, arrests, and assaults during the same period — including 35 physical attacks, eight arrests, and 22 cases under the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca). Both watchdogs warned that weak enforcement of journalist-safety laws and dormant commissions have rendered legal protections ineffective.

Dawn emphasized that until the state credibly investigates attacks, reforms PECA, and addresses online persecution, especially against women journalists, impunity will continue to reign in Pakistan’s media landscape.

Photo: Representational and AI-generated