Press Freedom and Media Safety in Pakistan in 2024

The Pakistan Press Foundation (PPF) concluded 2024 with a report on the further erosion of media safety and freedom of expression in the country. The PPF has documented patterns of violence against journalists – targeted killings, abductions, arrests, physical assault, intimidation, and legal harassment. As waves of protests swept across Pakistan after the February 2024 election, disputed by the opposition, attacks on the media followed, while effective action on the part of the authorities did not. From January until December 2024, the PPF recorded at least 162 attacks on journalists and media workers. They include two killings, 72 assaults, and four abductions, among others.