{"id":8805,"date":"2026-08-05T06:49:41","date_gmt":"2026-08-05T06:49:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=8805"},"modified":"2026-08-05T06:49:41","modified_gmt":"2026-08-05T06:49:41","slug":"pakistan-foreign-media-restrictions-noc-to-travel-outside-islamabad-lahore-karachi-pakistan-restricts-foreign-journalists-amid-pok-crackdown","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/?p=8805","title":{"rendered":"Pakistan Foreign Media Restrictions: NOC to travel outside Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi &#8211; Pakistan restricts foreign journalists amid PoK crackdown"},"content":{"rendered":"<p><br \/>\n<\/p>\n<div>\n<div class=\"e9jwa\">\n<div class=\"vdo_embedd\">\n<div class=\"GfdvZ\">\n<section class=\"_bIDB  clearfix id-r-component leadmedia undefined undefined  E9tg9 \" style=\"top:0px\">\n<div class=\"_bIDB\" data-ua-type=\"1\" onclick=\"stpPgtnAndPrvntDefault(event)\">\n<div class=\"ypVvZ\">\n<div class=\"WGttI\"><img src=\"https:\/\/static.toiimg.com\/thumb\/msid-132897924,imgsize-1020479,width-400,height-225,resizemode-4\/reuters.jpg\" alt=\"NOC to travel outside Islamabad, Lahore, Karachi - Pakistan restricts foreign journalists amid PoK crackdown\" title=\"Pakistan tightens curbs on foreign media (Reuters image)\" decoding=\"async\" fetchpriority=\"high\"\/><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<div class=\"Ta7d_ img_cptn\"><span title=\"Pakistan tightens curbs on foreign media (Reuters image)\">Pakistan tightens curbs on foreign media (Reuters image)<\/span><\/div>\n<\/section>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<p>Pakistan has imposed fresh restrictions on foreign media personnel, requiring journalists working for international news organisations to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before travelling outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi for reporting assignments.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"2\"\/>The new guidelines, issued by Pakistan&#8217;s ministry of information and broadcasting (MoIB), establish a comprehensive framework governing the registration, accreditation and movement of foreign media organisations and journalists operating in the country.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"4\"\/>Under the rules, journalists are exempt from the No Objection Certificate (NOC) requirement when travelling within Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi. For personal travel to Abbottabad and Murree, they may apply for an NOC through the ministry&#8217;s External Publicity (EP) Wing, with approvals expected within three working days.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"8\"\/>\u201cAll Pakistani journalists residing abroad, contributing to foreign media and seeking registration must submit their application through the EP Wing portal and concurrently forward their case through the nearest press attach\u00e9, counsellor, minister posted in Pakistan missions, consulates, high commissions, or embassies,\u201d the MOIB said, as cited by Dawn.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"10\"\/>Additionally, the guidelines require all companies, entities, production houses and other organisations operating in Pakistan to facilitate foreign media &#8220;in any capacity&#8221; to register with the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting&#8217;s publicity wing.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"13\"\/>The registration requirement also applies to non-journalists residing in Pakistan who provide services to foreign media organisations.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"15\"\/>The new rules apply to all international media organisations, including print, electronic and digital outlets, as well as web-based platforms and social media organisations.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"17\"\/>The regulations also require production houses, companies, freelancers, fixers and non-journalists providing services to foreign media in Pakistan to register with the ministry. <!-- -->It clarified that the registration is intended solely for professional recognition and does not grant any official status.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"21\"\/>&#8220;All foreign\/international media personnel already accredited or registered with EP Wing shall be required a mandatory NOC from EP Wing for movement to any other city (except Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi) in case they are going to produce a news content, story, video, film, documentary or social media content for their official use,&#8221; the guidelines state.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"24\"\/>After completing the registration process, journalists seeking a press accreditation card must submit an application through the online portal along with the required documents. The guidelines provide for two categories of accreditation: permanent accreditation, issued annually, and temporary accreditation for visiting journalists, valid for up to three months.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"26\"\/>Once the external publicity wing issues the accreditation card, it will &#8220;facilitate&#8221; journalists&#8217; access to official media events and government premises.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"29\"\/>The guidelines state that journalists will be &#8220;bound to produce that card on demand&#8221;, and must surrender it if they change their organisation or accreditation category, or when the accreditation period expires.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"31\"\/>The latest measures come amid heightened scrutiny of media access in Pakistan following reports of protests, disruptions and the alleged use of force during the local election process in Pakistan-occupied Jammu and Kashmir (PoK).<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"35\"\/>Human rights and press freedom organisations, including Amnesty International and Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), have raised concerns over alleged restrictions on journalists, communication blackouts, enforced disappearances of media personnel and curbs on foreign media coverage of the protests. Amnesty International has also called for an independent investigation into allegations of excessive force used against demonstrators in Rawalakot.<span class=\"id-r-component br\" data-pos=\"37\"\/><\/div>\n<p><br \/>\n<br \/><a href=\"https:\/\/timesofindia.indiatimes.com\/world\/pakistan\/noc-to-travel-outside-islamabad-lahore-karachi-pakistan-restricts-foreign-journalists-amid-pok-crackdown\/articleshow\/132894397.cms\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Source link <\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Pakistan tightens curbs on foreign media (Reuters image) Pakistan has imposed fresh restrictions on foreign media personnel, requiring journalists working for international news organisations to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before travelling outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi for reporting assignments.The new guidelines, issued by Pakistan&#8217;s ministry of information and broadcasting (MoIB), establish a comprehensive [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":8806,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[31],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-8805","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-31"],"magazineBlocksPostFeaturedMedia":{"thumbnail":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","medium_large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","1536x1536":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","2048x2048":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","blogsy-small":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","blogsy-small-tall":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","blogsy-small-square":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","blogsy-small-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","blogsy-medium":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","blogsy-medium-masonry":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","blogsy-large":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg","blogsy-wide":"https:\/\/koshalsambada.in\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/08\/reuters.jpg"},"magazineBlocksPostAuthor":{"name":"admin","avatar":"https:\/\/secure.gravatar.com\/avatar\/8709732a479614e7a8aa24d3eb1b239f30dc6d90c61464ed495001e7a469d856?s=96&d=mm&r=g"},"magazineBlocksPostCommentsNumber":"0","magazineBlocksPostExcerpt":"Pakistan tightens curbs on foreign media (Reuters image) Pakistan has imposed fresh restrictions on foreign media personnel, requiring journalists working for international news organisations to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before travelling outside Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi for reporting assignments.The new guidelines, issued by Pakistan&#8217;s ministry of information and broadcasting (MoIB), establish a comprehensive [&hellip;]","magazineBlocksPostCategories":["\u0b26\u0b47\u0b36 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