HRCP warns ad ban on Dawn threatens press freedom

 JournalismPakistan.com |  Published: 16 December 2025 |  JP Staff Report

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan has expressed deep concern over increasing restrictions on independent journalism, particularly a reported ban on government advertisements to Dawn Media Group. Several media organizations have echoed these sentiments, highlighting the implications for press freedom in the country.

Summary

ISLAMABAD — The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan on Tuesday expressed grave concern over what it described as the rapidly shrinking space for independent and critical news reporting in the country, citing restrictions on government advertising to the Dawn Media Group.

In a statement posted on social media platform X, the commission referred to a reported 13-month ban on government advertisements to Dawn that was initially imposed on its flagship newspaper and has now been extended to its television and radio outlets, including DawnNews and CityFM89.

HRCP warning on economic pressure

The commission said the selective withdrawal of state advertising, which involves the use of public funds, was increasingly being employed as a coercive instrument to pressure media organizations, influence editorial choices, and penalize critical journalism. It added that freedom of expression and democratic accountability could not survive in an environment where economic pressure was used to discipline the press.

HRCP also noted what it called the irony of the situation, pointing out that Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founder of Dawn, was a leading advocate of press freedom. The commission urged the government to end what it termed discriminatory practices and restore an enabling environment for free, independent, and responsible journalism.

Media bodies back Dawn

Several media organizations have echoed HRCP’s concerns in recent days. The Council of Newspaper Editors (CPNE) said Dawn was among Pakistan’s most respected media outlets and warned that blocking government advertisements amounted to financially crippling the organization.

The All Pakistan Newspapers Society (APNS) said it was dismayed by the stoppage of advertisements, while the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) criticized the move as an attempt to use advertising as a tool to control media and restrict free expression. The Joint Action Committee of journalist bodies has also accused the government of using official advertising to pressure media organizations.

Earlier this year, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) stated in its Islamabad Declaration that Dawn had been denied advertisements by the federal and Punjab governments since October 2024 because of what it described as the outlet’s professional and critical approach to reporting and editorials. The union also recalled that following the so-called Dawn Leaks episode, the newspaper’s circulation was restricted in large parts of the country, particularly in cantonment areas.

ATTRIBUTION: Reporting based on statements from HRCP and Pakistani media bodies.