Pakistan Introduces New Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026

ByEditorial Staff
ISLAMABAD, August 5: The Government of Pakistan has introduced the Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines, 2026, establishing new procedures for the accreditation and reporting activities of foreign journalists and Pakistani media professionals working for international news organizations. Under the new guidelines, foreign correspondents, Pakistani employees of foreign media organizations, contributors, and freelance journalists will be required to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before undertaking reporting assignments in areas outside Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. The guidelines place the implementation and oversight of the new framework under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting's External Publicity Wing (EPW), which is responsible for the registration and accreditation of foreign media organizations and journalists operating in Pakistan. According to the guidelines, foreign media personnel must first obtain official accreditation from the ministry before conducting reporting assignments in Pakistan. Journalists seeking to report from provinces, border regions, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, or other areas beyond the three exempt cities will be required to secure prior government approval through the prescribed NOC process. The guidelines also state that accredited journalists must comply with the conditions governing their accreditation. They provide for the suspension or cancellation of accreditation in cases where authorities determine that a journalist has acted against Pakistan's ideology, sovereignty, security, or public order. The External Publicity Wing will be responsible for processing accreditation applications, verifying foreign media personnel, facilitating reporting requests, coordinating official access, and administering the NOC system. The introduction of the guidelines has generated discussion among media organizations and press freedom advocates, who have expressed concern that the requirement for prior authorization could delay reporting assignments, particularly in cases involving breaking news outside Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. They have also raised concerns regarding the absence of a specified timeframe for issuing No Objection Certificates. Government officials, however, maintain that the new framework is intended to improve administrative coordination, facilitate the verification of foreign media personnel, and streamline official procedures relating to foreign media reporting in Pakistan. The new guidelines are expected to govern the activities of all accredited foreign media organizations and their associated journalists operating in Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD, August 5: The Government of Pakistan has introduced the Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines, 2026, establishing new procedures for the accreditation and reporting activities of foreign journalists and Pakistani media professionals working for international news organizations.

Under the new guidelines, foreign correspondents, Pakistani employees of foreign media organizations, contributors, and freelance journalists will be required to obtain a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before undertaking reporting assignments in areas outside Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore.

The guidelines place the implementation and oversight of the new framework under the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting’s External Publicity Wing (EPW), which is responsible for the registration and accreditation of foreign media organizations and journalists operating in Pakistan.

According to the guidelines, foreign media personnel must first obtain official accreditation from the ministry before conducting reporting assignments in Pakistan. Journalists seeking to report from provinces, border regions, Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, or other areas beyond the three exempt cities will be required to secure prior government approval through the prescribed NOC process.

The guidelines also state that accredited journalists must comply with the conditions governing their accreditation. They provide for the suspension or cancellation of accreditation in cases where authorities determine that a journalist has acted against Pakistan’s ideology, sovereignty, security, or public order.

The External Publicity Wing will be responsible for processing accreditation applications, verifying foreign media personnel, facilitating reporting requests, coordinating official access, and administering the NOC system.

The introduction of the guidelines has generated discussion among media organizations and press freedom advocates, who have expressed concern that the requirement for prior authorization could delay reporting assignments, particularly in cases involving breaking news outside Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore. They have also raised concerns regarding the absence of a specified timeframe for issuing No Objection Certificates.

Government officials, however, maintain that the new framework is intended to improve administrative coordination, facilitate the verification of foreign media personnel, and streamline official procedures relating to foreign media reporting in Pakistan.

The new guidelines are expected to govern the activities of all accredited foreign media organizations and their associated journalists operating in Pakistan.

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