Pakistan requires permits for journalists reporting outside major cities

• Pakistan now requires all journalists working for international media to obtain permission before reporting outside Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi.

Pakistan has introduced new rules requiring all journalists working for international media outlets to register with the government and obtain prior permission before reporting outside the country's three largest cities, drawing criticism from press freedom advocates.

In a statement shared Monday with international media organizations, Pakistan's Ministry of Information said journalists must now secure official authorization before conducting reporting outside Islamabad, Lahore, and Karachi.

Under the new regulations, all journalists working for international news organizations, including foreign correspondents, Pakistani staff, and freelance reporters, must register with the government body responsible for overseeing foreign media.

Pakistani media organizations and human rights groups have called for the rules to be withdrawn, warning they will hinder journalism and restrict the free flow of information in the country of around 250 million people.

The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan said on Wednesday it was "deeply concerned" by the new directives, arguing they would institutionalize bureaucratic control over newsgathering and discourage independent reporting on issues of public interest.

The commission also warned of what it described as a growing trend toward restricting press freedom in Pakistan.

According to Reporters Without Borders, Pakistan ranks 153rd out of 180 countries in its World Press Freedom Index.

Foreign journalists were already required to obtain permits before reporting outside major cities, a process that journalists say often took weeks or received no response. The new rules extend the same requirements to Pakistani journalists working for international media outlets.

International news organizations rely heavily on Pakistani journalists, many of whom live outside the three main cities and possess extensive local networks and knowledge of regional languages, making them essential to covering developments across the country.