Journalists, political leaders, labour representatives and civil society activists on Sunday marked World Press Freedom Day with a strong call for an end to censorship, repeal of restrictive laws and urgent measures to protect media workers.
The demands were made at a seminar at the Karachi Press Club that adopted a comprehensive resolution highlighting the worsening state of press freedom in Pakistan.
The seminar was jointly organised by the Karachi Union of Journalists (KUJ) and Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP).
The speakers included Pakistan People Party leader Sharmila Farooqui, academic Dr Tauseef Ahmed, KUJ President Tahir Hassan Khan, Mazhar Abbas and others who noted that this year’s World Press Freedom Day was being observed in Pakistan under extremely inimical conditions not only for the journalists but also for the citizens seeking to exercise their constitutional rights to freedom of expression and access to information.
The gathering expressed grave concern over increasing restrictions, intimidation tactics and economic pressures facing the media industry.
The resolution adopted at the seminar demanded that the government and its institutions immediately halt censorship and harassment of journalists.
It stated that fears long expressed by media professionals following the introduction of the Pakistan Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) had actualised, with the law allegedly being misused to intimidate journalists and suppress independent reporting.
Calling for the repeal of PECA, the participants stressed that such legislation undermined democratic norms and discouraged accountability. They argued that a democratic system must be rooted in participation, transparency and free debate rather than coercion and suppression.
The speakers paid tribute to the long-standing struggle of journalists’ bodies, including the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists and KUJ, for press freedom. They highlighted the sacrifices made by media workers in defending the public’s right to information, noting that these efforts continued despite mounting challenges.
The resolution criticised what it described as the growing use of state power—both security-related and economic — to weaken the media sector. It pointed to layoffs, delayed or unpaid salaries, and job insecurity as factors that had significantly eroded the strength of the media.
The participants warned that without urgent intervention, Pakistan risked losing a robust and independent media capable of holding power accountable.
They emphasised that restoring trust among both domestic and international audiences required an end to arbitrary censorship and a commitment to press freedom.
The seminar proposed a comprehensive bailout package to address the financial crisis faced by media organisations. The suggested measures included a five-year tax exemption for media houses, provision of soft loans, concessional electricity tariffs and duty-free import of equipment.
The speakers said such steps were essential given the lack of a strong business environment to sustain media through advertising revenue.
The resolution also urged the political parties and lawmakers to take up the issue during upcoming budget sessions calling for immediate policy interventions to safeguard the journalists’ livelihoods.
Among key demands was the announcement of a new wage award for newspaper employees taking into account the sharp rise in inflation since the last revision.
The participants called for the development of a similar regulatory framework to ensure minimum wages and a structured service system for employees in electronic and digital media sectors, which currently lacked uniform protections.
Concerns were also raised about internal practices within media organisations. The resolution highlighted the need to prevent diversion of government advertisement revenues away from workers’ welfare and criticised disparities in salary structures, where a few officials receive disproportionately high compensation while many employees face financial hardship.
Another issue flagged during the seminar was the absence of legal safeguards for employees during mergers, acquisitions or closures of media organisations. The participants stressed the importance of legislation to protect workers’ rights in such situations, ensuring job security and fair compensation.
The resolution also called for tax exemptions on media-related equipment and immediate clearance of outstanding payments owed to media houses, with a condition that these funds be used to settle journalists’ salaries. Additionally, it proposed the introduction of soft loan schemes to help media workers purchase or build homes, addressing long-standing financial vulnerabilities within the profession.
