Pakistan mandates permits for foreign media reporting outside three major cities

Pakistan’s government has announced that journalists employed by foreign news outlets, including Pakistani nationals working for such media, must obtain official permission before reporting from any location outside the three largest cities. The decree, issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, applies nationwide and takes effect immediately, limiting unrestricted newsgathering to Islamabad, Karachi and Lahore.

The permission must be secured through a formal request to the Ministry of Interior, which will assess each case on security grounds and may impose restrictions on the scope of coverage. Officials say the measure is intended to protect national security and prevent the spread of misinformation, while press‑freedom advocates warn it could hinder independent reporting and increase bureaucratic hurdles for foreign correspondents operating in the country.