JournalismPakistan.com | Published 4 years ago
Join our WhatsApp channel
ISLAMABAD—Pakistan federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has pledged to continue its struggle for freedoms of press, expression, and speech and protect journalists and workers’ rights.
On the eve of World Press Freedom Day, President PFUJ Shahzada Zulfiqar and Secretary-General Nasir Zaidi called for greater unity among all groups fighting for their rights. “Freedom of the press and free speech and expression is the hallmark of PFUJ, and it will not surrender this cause at any cost,” the leaders said.
They reiterated their commitment to resolving issues faced by the media industry due to ill-conceived policies of the government.
PFUJ said that nearly 15000 journalists and media workers had lost their jobs in Pakistan. There have been 148 cases of attacks and violations against media and its practitioners, including journalists, between May 2020 and April 2021. The situation has worsened in a country of 22 million people who have been denied the right of speech and expression and the right to access information. “It is a failure of the state and the government as the environment for freedom of speech and free press is not conducive due to denial of such rights guaranteed in the Constitution of Pakistan. Even Islamabad has become a dangerous place for journalists,” PFUJ said.
The state of media and Pakistan’s decline on the world press freedom index has brought the country under severe criticism and scrutiny by international organizations.
“We want urgent and serious dialogue with the government institutions and all the industry stakeholders to restore the media industry and find a mechanism for resolving all our troubles.”
The PFUJ has already submitted a 19-point charter of demands with the federal government. However, the government has not discussed these demands.
Apart from concocted and fabricated 27 legal cases against journalists’ abduction and attempts to kill media professionals, censorship and advisories to media have become widespread. It has brought the industry under serious threat. It faces a severe financial crisis that has directly impacted journalists and media workers.
“The state of Pakistan should immediately ensure freedom of the press, free speech, and expression and respect voices of dissent.”
November 07, 2025: JournalismPakistan.com launches a Middle East section to expand regional reporting. New coverage will follow JPâs editorial SOPsâverification, balanced sourcing, and two-stage reviewâplaced between Asia and World on the Home Page.
November 07, 2025: Russia accuses Pakistanâs Frontier Post of anti-Russia bias; the paper defends press freedom and independence. A diplomatic clash over media narratives.
November 07, 2025: Veteran journalist Javed Chaudhry bids farewell to Express News after 18 years on Kal Tak, marking the end of an era in Pakistani television journalism.
November 06, 2025: Information Minister Attaullah Tararâs job offer to Nukta staff draws criticism as hundreds of journalists across Pakistan face layoffs, salary delays, and job insecurity.
November 06, 2025: Information Minister Attaullah Tarar announces jobs for 37 laid-off Nukta employees, saying they will be placed at digital platforms within 48 hours amid growing media uncertainty.
November 05, 2025: PTIâs Faisal Chaudhryâs witty reply to Gharidah Farooqi on GTVâs âG for Gharidahâ goes viral as a clip from their debate over the 27th Amendment sparks reactions online.
November 05, 2025: Digital platform Nukta lays off 37 employees in Pakistan, including journalists and producers, highlighting the financial struggles facing new media ventures in a shrinking job market.
November 04, 2025: Talat Hussain denies airing the viral clip showing Sher Afzal Marwatâs vulgar remark, saying it was not part of his Samaa TV show.
November 07, 2025 UN and rights groups warn of escalating media repression in Myanmar, citing arrests, censorship, and digital surveillance that threaten to erase independent journalism.
November 07, 2025 Iran has intensified online censorship, blocking independent news sites and social channels, sparking protests from journalist groups over the growing suppression of press freedom.
November 07, 2025 Six Turkish journalists have been summoned over coverage of opposition mayor Ekrem Imamoglu, raising fresh concerns about press freedom and political repression in Turkey.
November 07, 2025 Over 285 journalists have been killed in Gaza since 2023, exposing a severe impunity crisis and raising calls for global action to protect press freedom.
November 07, 2025 Arab states are tightening digital content laws, with new regulations in the UAE, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt raising fresh concerns about media freedom and online expression.