ISLAMABAD: The year 2024 has proven one of the deadliest for journalists in Pakistan, marked by targeted attacks that claimed the lives of six media professionals and a YouTuber.
According to Freedom Network’s “Impunity Report 2024,” 57 violations against media personnel were recorded, underscoring provincial authorities’ inaction in addressing crimes against journalists.
Despite federal and Sindh legislation aimed at protecting journalists, the report notes that these laws have failed to reduce impunity.
The annual report reveals that from November 2023 to August 2024, there were 11 assassination attempts, resulting in the murders of five journalists and a digital media practitioner. Alongside these violent acts, threats, assaults, and legal harassment accounted for 57 violations.
Launching the report ahead of the International Day to End Impunity for Crimes against Journalists on November 2, Freedom Network Executive Director Iqbal Khattak stated, “Despite the enactment of Sindh Protection of Journalists and Other Media Practitioners Bill 2021 and the federal Protection of Journalist and Media Professional Act 2021, neither the federal nor Sindh government has effectively enforced these laws, leaving journalists vulnerable.”
He highlighted that without robust safety mechanisms, the laws are essentially ineffective, leaving media professionals at increased risk.
In 2024, Sindh reported the highest number of violations (37%, or 21 out of 57 cases, including three murders), followed by Punjab (23%, or 13 cases), and Islamabad (21%, or 12 cases). Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP) saw 12% of cases, including the murders of two tribal journalists, while Balochistan accounted for 3.5% of cases.
Television journalists bore the brunt of these cases, facing 53% of the recorded violations, followed by print (35%), digital journalists (10%), and radio journalists (2%). Among the victims were 9% women journalists. Government authorities were identified as the primary threat actors (47%), followed by political parties (12%), with other identified and unknown actors comprising 16% and 25%, respectively.
The report also introduced Pakistan’s first “Media Impunity Index,” measuring progress in combating impunity across federal and provincial levels. While the federal and Sindh governments have achieved significant steps in passing safety laws, the lack of functional safety commissions has hindered implementation.
Sindh leads in the index with nine out of 10 points, followed by the federal government with eight. Balochistan and KP each scored two points, and Punjab ranked lowest with one point.
The report stresses that addressing impunity is vital for preserving media freedom in Pakistan. With an average of six violations reported monthly, coordinated action by the state, media, and civil society is urgently needed.
