JournalismPakistan.com | Published July 16, 2019
Join our WhatsApp channel
The Committee to Protect Journalists will honor editor of Dawn newspaper Zaffar Abbas with the Gwen Ifill Press Freedom Award this November.
The award is presented to an individual who has shown extraordinary and sustained achievement in the cause of press freedom.
According to CPJ, Ifill, a veteran journalist and a former CPJ board member died in 2016. She was the award-winning moderator and managing editor of Washington Week, the longest-running public affairs program on public television, and co-anchor and managing editor of PBS NewsHour.
The watchdog said that under Abbas' editorship, Dawn has come under government pressure several times.
The paper’s distribution was disrupted in several parts of Pakistan after the newspaper printed an interview with the former prime minister. Those disruptions continue in some areas.
Abbas told CPJ that he and one of his reporters were interrogated for hours by the intelligence service after the paper published an exclusive report on the relationship between the military and leaders of the then-ruling party. Both of them did not divulge their sources.
Abbas began his career in 1981 as a junior reporter at The Star. In 1988, he moved to monthly magazine Herald and later joined BBC as the Pakistan correspondent in Islamabad.
He quit BBC in 2006 to join Dawn where he reported on events of international significance. He was appointed as the newspaper’s editor in 2010.
CPJ's annual International Press Freedom Awards will be held on November 21 in New York.
The winners of this year's International Press Freedom Awards are Patrícia Campos Mello of Brazilian daily Folha de S. Paulo, Neha Dixit a freelance independent journalist from India, Lucía Pineda Ubau and Miguel Mora of Nicaragua, and Maxence Melo Mubyazi of Tanzania.
April 30, 2025: Freedom of expression in Pakistan is under threat, as the 2025 Freedom Network report reveals increased arrests, censorship, and legal restrictions following amendments to PECA, posing serious risks to journalists and democratic values.
April 30, 2025: Dawn has criticized the Indian media's calls for war and condemned the banning of 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, urging a rational response after the Pahalgam attack that left 26 dead.
April 28, 2025: India has banned 16 Pakistani YouTube channels, including major news outlets and individual journalists, following the deadly Pahalgam attack. Tensions escalate as Islamabad demands a neutral probe.
April 23, 2025: Pakistani journalists respond in unison to a post hinting at a possible Indian military strike. Citing the 2019 ‘Swift Retort,’ they warn of a stronger response if provoked again.
April 21, 2025: After being expelled from PTI, MNA Sher Afzal Marwat launches personal attacks on journalists and Aleema Khan, sparking outrage on social media over his offensive remarks.
April 21, 2025: Journalist Sanaullah Khan reveals that the FIA has launched a financial crackdown on YouTubers by freezing the bank accounts of journalists and their family members—raising serious concerns over freedom of expression and legal process.
April 20, 2025: Dr. Nauman Niaz launched his fifteenth book, In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple and Triple Centuries 1876–2025, at an elegant Islamabad event, reflecting on cricket’s rarest feats and his journey as a scholar of the game.
April 11, 2025: Sindhi journalist AD Shar was brutally murdered in Khairpur, Sindh. His body was found dumped on Handiyari Link Road. PFUJ has declared a three-day mourning period and demanded justice.
April 23, 2025 Discover Dr. Nauman Niaz’s In A Different Realm: Story of Quadruple & Triple Centuries 1876–2025, a profound exploration of cricket's most monumental innings, blending historical analysis with poetic narrative.
April 22, 2025 Once a beacon of hope for Pakistan's cricket revival, the Pakistan Super League now grapples with stagnation and moral compromises. Can this cultural symbol reclaim its lost soul?
April 21, 2025 An Italian newspaper, Il Foglio, successfully published a month-long AI-written insert and praised its irony and analytical abilities, while affirming that AI will complement—not replace—quality journalism.
April 03, 2025 The International Press Institute (IPI) and International Media Support (IMS) invite nominations for the 2025 World Press Freedom Hero and Free Media Pioneer Awards. Recognizing courageous journalists and innovative media, the awards will be presented at IPI’s 75th-anniversary World Congress in Vienna. Submit your nominations by April 30, 2025.
April 01, 2025 Photojournalist Suresh Rajak was burned alive while covering a violent protest in Kathmandu. The IFJ and its affiliates condemn the attack and call for an urgent investigation to hold the perpetrators accountable.