Journalists and media personnel on Saturday warned that threats to journalism were increasingly shifting from physical violence to legal, regulatory and economic pressures.
At an event hosted by the Institute of Business Administration Karachi’s Centre for Excellence in Journalism (IBA-CEJ) ahead of World Press Freedom Day, speakers said that in an era marked by misinformation and self-censorship, public interest journalism was more vital than ever to promote accountability and ensure an informed society.
Opening the event, IBA-CEJ Director Shahzeb Jillani said the gathering was taking place at a "critical moment for press freedom globally", a concern also highlighted by Reporters Without Borders (RSF) in its Press Freedom Index, which described 2026 as the worst year since records began.
Read: Pakistan media freedoms face sharp decline
“We are holding this event at a critical time, when press freedom is at its lowest around the world. Yet, we are here to renew our commitment to public interest journalism, to report the truth with courage, but also to stay safe while holding power to account,” he said.
In the concluding session titled “Surrender is not an option”, Zaffar Abbas, editor of Dawn Media Group, spoke about the need to uphold editorial independence despite mounting pressures.
“I still believe that surrender is not an option. If you are unable to stand for what you believe in, then it would be better to quit and go home,” he said.
“Serving society through your writing, broadcasts, and footage is a powerful way to let people know what is wrong, so that they make informed decisions. If we continue doing that, we can make a difference,” he added.
He also stressed that true editorial independence required reducing reliance on government and private advertising.
During a panel discussion on journalist safety titled “Shooting the messenger — the price we pay”, Iqbal Khattak, executive director of Freedom Network, identified regulatory repression as a major emerging threat.
Speakers Iqbal Khattak, Adil Jawad and PFUJ President Shahzada Zulfiqar speak during the panel “Shooting the messenger — the price we pay”, moderated by Nadia Naqi. Photo: CEJ-IBA
“Economic strangulation and abuse of cyber laws has emerged as a go-to tactic to silence dissent and punish critics,” he said.
Fellow panellist Adil Jawad highlighted the growing vulnerability of digital journalists, noting an increasing focus on controlling narratives on online platforms.
“There is a growing focus on controlling the narrative on social and digital media. More and more digital journalists are being targeted by PECA, often because they lack the training on how to stay safe,” he said.
Women journalists Sidra Dar, Kiran Khan and Yusra Askari speak during the panel “Reporting from the field? Navigating everyday trolling, pressures and restrictions”, moderated by Shahzeb Ahmed. Photo: CEJ-IBA
The panel also featured former Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists president Shahzada Zulfiqar, who spoke about the challenges of reporting from Balochistan, describing the province as an information “black hole”. The session was moderated by Nadia Naqi.
In the keynote session, Osama Bin Javaid, senior correspondent at Al Jazeera, paid tribute to journalists working in conflict zones.
“The freedom of the press around the world is owed to the journalists of Gaza on World Press Freedom Day,” he said during his talk titled “Eyewitness to history: reporting on war and genocide”.
A separate panel on challenges faced by women journalists, titled “Reporting from the field? Navigating everyday trolling, pressures and restrictions”, featured reporters Sidra Dar, Kiran Khan and Yusra Askari. The session was moderated by Shahzeb Ahmed.
Panellists speak during the session on journalist safety, titled “Shooting the messenger — the price we pay”, moderated by Nadia Naqi. Photo: CEJ-IBA
Offering advice on dealing with online abuse, the moderator said: “Develop a thick skin not to let trolling get to you, keep going, but also know when to pause and take a step back.”
Reflecting on the impact of journalism, Kiran said: “Your voice can be so powerful that its pain reaches people and compels them to take meaningful action.”
Speakers throughout the event emphasised that as methods of suppressing journalism become more sophisticated, defending ethical, independent and public interest journalism had become more urgent than ever.
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