ISLAMABAD: The Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ) on Tues­day called upon Pakistan to allow journalists to work freely and safely in the run-up to Feb 8 election and provide nationwide access to the internet, as well as unblock the inve­stigative news website FactFocus.

In a statement, the CPJ said political tensions had been high before the polls, with a crackdown on the PTI, whose leadership has been in prison since August.

CPJ Asia Programme Coordina­tor Beh Lih Yi said Pakistan authorities must immediately reverse the ‘repressive’ measures aimed at curtailing journalists’ ability to report freely in the lead-up to the polls. “Blocking critical reporting and hindering access to an open flow of information will only raise more questions about the election, which is already under scrutiny for its legitimacy,” Ms Yi said.

The CPJ said the telecom sector regulator PTA blocked access to FactFocus on Jan 31 on the grounds that the website was hosting content “with intent to ridicule, defame the armed forces”.

The CPJ referred to the statement by the ‘FactFocus’ issued on February 2, that included a copy of the PTA notice and the ‘FactFocus’ said that it was due to publish an investigation related to the elections when the block was announced.

The statement recalled that as Imran Khan was ousted from power in April 2022, mainstream news channels ceased his coverage, following a de-facto ban and a number of press freedom violations were documented by CPJ.

It said that the CPJ and its partners in the ‘#KeepItOn’ asked the Pakistan’s government in a letter to ensure unfettered access to the internet and social media platforms, and to uphold a court order directing the same uninterrupted access.

The CPJ also expressed concerns that the internet services would be temporarily restricted at “sensitive” polling stations ahead of elections to mitigate risks that “terrorists may exploit social media platforms for communication purposes,” and referred to the announcement by Balochistan information minister Jan Achakzai.

The Balochistan government’s secretariat and the PTA did not respond to CPJ’s emailed requests for comment.

Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2024