There has been an alarming increase of around 60% in violations against the media in Pakistan in the year leading up to the International Day to End Impunity of Crimes against Journalists, falling on November 2, 2025, compared to the preceding year.
This is revealed in the Annual Impunity Report 2025 of Freedom Network, produced with the assistance of International Media Support (IMS), and indicates a worsening environment of freedom of expression and safety of journalists in the country under the Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif government.
The report noted a “sharp rise” in attacks and violations against journalists and other media professionals in Pakistan. “At least 142 cases of violations were documented, marking a nearly 60% increase compared to the previous year. The hostile environment for media, which intensified after the February 2024 general elections, has made almost every region in Pakistan unsafe for journalism, with incidents reported across provinces and territories,” the report said.
The report also documented at least 36 formal legal cases against 30 journalists and media practitioners under the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (Peca) during the first year of the current federal government. The Act was amended through the parliament in early 2025 to make punitive provisions harsher for journalists, raising an outcry.
Of these 36 cases, 22 cases were registered under the Peca and 14 under the Pakistan Penal Code (PPC), with some individuals facing multiple charges. Most Peca cases targeted practitioners in Punjab, while all PPC cases were also in Punjab.
The report, titled “Impunity Report – 2025: Crime and Punishment in Pakistan’s Journalism World,” is Freedom Network’s annual flagship publication and provided detailed insight into the world of impunity for crimes against journalists and efforts to combat the menace, which undermined freedom to report freely and professionally.
“The use of legal framework to crack down on free expression is a tool the federal government is now using excessively, targeting critical voices. Pakistan cannot afford to silence critical media, which is equally important in a democratic dispensation,” Freedom Network Executive Director Iqbal Khattak said in response to the increasing legal cases against journalists under PECA and other laws.
The report covers violations against journalists and media across Pakistan from November 2024 to September 2025.
Punjab and Islamabad, according to verified data processed by the report, emerged as jointly “the most dangerous places” for journalists in Pakistan, each accounting for 28% of the violations, followed closely by Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Sindh, Balochistan, and Azad Jammu and Kashmir. No cases were reported from Gilgit Baltistan.
The most targeted medium was television, the report indicated, followed by print and digital media, with one radio journalist also affected.
