LAHORE:
The Pakistan Human Rights Commission (HRCP) offered an alerting story about press freedoms in Pakistan in its latest report entitled ‘Hard sentences: the state of freedom of expression (2022-24)’ published on Thursday.
The conclusions of the report written by the journalist Mahim Maher reveal a disturbing panorama. The report examined the changing dynamics from the dismissal of former Prime Minister Imran Khan through a censorship vote in April 2022.
While some media sectors faced increasingly strict restrictions, according to the report, others enjoyed free -control freedom, creating a fragmented and manipulated narrative.
The report highlighted raw realities, including the murder of a journalist, forced disappearances, “specific” press advice and legislative amendments apparently designed to restrict digital freedoms.
Despite the growing state censorship, according to the report, the digital sphere has become a flourishing space for alternative voices, which challenge traditional power structures. At the same time, the increasingly lower confidence in the traditional media had been exploited by corporate interests, extreme right groups and elements within the establishment.
The report said that the act of censorship unleashed a broader national debate on freedom of expression, underlining the resistance of the Pakistani desire to express themselves. The report issued both a warning and a call to action, highlighting the urgent need to safeguard freedom of expression in an increasingly controlled environment.
