New Delhi: Amid criticism over allegedly using brute force in PoK and the killling of at least 90 civilians, Pakistan Tuesday introduced sweeping new regulations on foreign journalists, requiring them to obtain government permission before traveling beyond the country’s three largest cities for reporting assignments.
The new regulations have been imposed with immediate effective.
Islamabad had earlier banned international media organisations like Al Jazeera over its reportage on PoK accusing it of “selective reporting” and “yellow journalism”. Multiple media reports have also stated that even domestic journalists in Pakistan were not allowed to travel to Muzaffarabad or Rawalakot regions of PoK to report on the ongoing clashes.
Under the new Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines, 2026, issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, accredited foreign correspondents must now secure a no objection certificate (NOC) before undertaking professional travel outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi.
The policy establishes a new regulatory framework governing the registration, accreditation and movement of foreign media organisations and their personnel in Pakistan, expanding the government’s oversight of international news coverage, local media reported.
The restrictions extend well beyond foreign correspondents. They apply to international print, television and digital news organisations, freelancers, documentary filmmakers, media owners, fixers, production crew and other personnel working with overseas news outlets in Pakistan.
The government has also made registration mandatory for anyone working with a foreign media organisation. Applications must be submitted through the External Publicity Wing’s online registration and accreditation portal.
Pakistani journalists living abroad who contribute to international media organisations will also be required to register. Their applications must be routed through Pakistan’s diplomatic missions, including embassies, high commissions and consulates.
According to the guidelines, journalists accredited through the ministry’s External Publicity Wing must obtain prior approval before traveling to other parts of the country to produce news reports, documentaries, films, video content or material for digital and social media platforms.
The only exception applies to personal travel to the hill stations of Abbottabad and Murree, for which, journalists may obtain travel clearance from the ministry within three working days of travel.
Registration and accreditation for foreign media have also been separated into two distinct processes. After registering, journalists seeking official press credentials must file a separate application for accreditation through the ministry’s online portal.
The guidelines establish two categories of accreditation: Annual credentials for resident foreign correspondents; and temporary accreditation, valid for up to three months, for visiting journalists.
Those granted accreditation will receive an External Publicity Wing press card, allowing facilitated access to official press events and government offices. Journalists will be required to present the card upon request by authorised officials and return it when it expires, if they change employers or if their accreditation status is altered.
According to the ministry, registration cards are expected to be issued within seven working days, while accreditation applications may take between four and six weeks to process. Officials also reserve the authority to seek additional documentation before approving either application.
The restrictions formalise government control over where foreign journalists may report within Pakistan, requiring official approval before they can travel.
These restrictions always applied to Indian journalists who were not allowed to move out of Islamabad; and since 2014, no Indian journalist has been allowed to enter Pakistan.
The new regulations follow months of criticism in the media of Pakistan’s response to protests in PoK where demonstrations over governance, electoral reforms and economic hardship have coincided with reports of excessive force, arrests, media curbs and internet blackouts.
Pakistan’s government-banned Jammu Kashmir Joint Awami Action Committee (JAAC) was in June designated a terrorism organisation, accused of activities prejudicial to public order. Since then, security forces, including the Pakistan Rangers and other paramilitary units, have expanded their presence across towns in the Poonch division in PoK, conducting patrols and enforcing restrictions on public gatherings.
The crackdown followed a series of violent confrontations that began in early June after a trader was killed during an encounter with law enforcement. Tensions escalated further after JAAC activist Shahzaib Habib was fatally shot by unidentified gunmen days later. The following night, clashes between protesters and police left civilians and police officers dead, according to local authorities.
On 9 July, the JAAC organised a region-wide strike that shut businesses, schools and public transportation while protesters established sit-ins across several towns. Activists say the demonstrations were met with force by paramilitary units deployed throughout the region.
Violence intensified again during the first phase of legislative elections on 27 July, when JAAC supporters marched into Rawalakot despite curfew orders. Activists alleged that security forces fired on demonstrators and bystanders allegedly killing 90, while Pakistani authorities accused protesters of attacking security personnel and rejected allegations of excessive force.
Pakistan’s defence minister, Khawaja Asif, last week justified the killings, saying there would be “no dialogue” with the protesters and comparing them to “enemies like India”.
Meanwhile, the election has also become the focus of an increasingly bitter political dispute. Pakistan’s ruling Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz won the majority of seats contested in the first phase of voting in Mirpur, a result celebrated by party leaders as reflecting the will of the electorate.
Opposition parties, including the Pakistan Peoples Party, rejected the results, accusing the government of securing a “fake mandate” through intimidation and the use of state institutions.
Low turnout in several areas has been attributed by residents and activists to both the boycott campaign and the continuing security restrictions, although Pakistani authorities have rejected claims that the election lacked legitimacy.
(Edited by Viny Mishra)
Also read: PoK election ‘fraud at gunpoint’, says PoK protest group JAAC as it urges public to boycott polls