Pakistan journalist crackdown concerns have escalated sharply since late 2025, as the government intensifies the use of in absentia convictions and arrest warrants against journalists living overseas. The actions highlight an expanding campaign by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s administration to silence critical reporting and commentary beyond the country’s borders.
In early January, four foreign-based Pakistani journalists and commentators were convicted on the same day in connection with coverage of violent protests that erupted in May 2023 after the arrest of former Prime Minister Imran Khan in a corruption case. Khan, who remains imprisoned on multiple charges he says are politically motivated, has been accused by the government of encouraging unrest. During the protests, demonstrators attacked military and government buildings across several cities.
Authorities also issued an arrest warrant in December for an exiled journalist accused of spreading propaganda against Pakistan’s army. The move followed a warning by Interior Minister Mohsin Naqvi, who pledged a sweeping crackdown on social media users, YouTubers, and journalists accused of spreading “fake news.” Addressing critics abroad, Naqvi warned: “We will soon bring you back, and you will be answerable.”
Press freedom advocates say the campaign marks a dangerous expansion of state repression. Beh Lih Yi, Asia-Pacific director of the Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), said Pakistan’s actions have created a climate where journalists feel unsafe even outside the country. She urged the government and military to stop targeting journalists and their families and to restore press freedom at home.
CPJ documented multiple cases in which the Pakistani government has sought to criminalize journalists living abroad, based on interviews, court records, and media reports.
On January 2, an anti-terrorism court in Islamabad sentenced four journalists in absentia to two life terms each, plus an additional 35 years in prison and heavy fines. The court accused them of inciting violence during the 2023 protests and spreading hatred against state institutions under Pakistan’s Penal Code and the Anti-Terrorism Act.
Those convicted include Sabir Shakir, a UK-based journalist and former ARY News anchor; Shaheen Sehbai, a US-based freelance journalist and former editor at The News International; Wajahat Saeed Khan, a US-based journalist reporting on Pakistan and South Asia; and Moeed Pirzada, a British-Pakistani journalist and editor affiliated with Global Village Space. All four have large online followings through YouTube and social media platforms.
In a joint statement, the journalists said they did not recognize the verdicts, stating they were never formally notified of charges, hearings, or evidence, nor given the chance to defend themselves or appoint lawyers. They said the convictions violate Pakistan’s constitution and its obligations under international human rights treaties.
Several of the journalists told CPJ that their official documents and bank accounts have been frozen, and that they fear threats, harassment, and potential extradition attempts. Some said intermediaries linked to the military contacted them before the verdicts, offering to drop charges if they stopped critical reporting.
In another case, an Islamabad court declared US-based investigative journalist Ahmad Noorani a fugitive in December, issuing an arrest warrant over alleged propaganda against the army. Noorani said he was unaware of the case details and believes the charges are linked to his reporting on alleged military interference and corruption. He also said his family has faced severe retaliation, including abductions, frozen bank accounts, job losses, and travel restrictions.
Despite repeated requests, Interior Minister Naqvi and officials from Pakistan’s cybercrime authorities did not respond to requests for comment.
Human rights groups warn that the expanding Pakistan journalist crackdown signals a troubling shift toward transnational repression. By targeting journalists abroad, critics say the government is not only suppressing dissent at home but also undermining global norms on press freedom and the rule of law.