The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) on Sunday issued a press release condemning a ban on government advertisements for various outlets operated by the Dawn Media Group, terming the ban an “attack on press freedom”.

Over the past several days, multiple media bodies came together and condemned the 13-month ban, which initially affected the newspaper but extended to DawnNewsTV and the radio channel City FM 89.

In its press release today, the PFUJ condemned the ad ban and called it “an attempt to control media and stifle free expression”.

“In a joint statement, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari expressed deep concern over the government’s decision, stating that it is an attack on freedom of expression and an attempt to financially cripple a respected media outlet,” the union said.

“Dawn was founded by the father of the nation, Quaid-i-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah, and the paper is respected globally for its unbiased reporting,” it added, quoting its president and secretary general.

The PFUJ urged the government to withdraw the ad ban for the promotion of “free and responsible journalism” and emphasised the importance of traditional media’s role amid the ubiquity of fake news.

“[The] PFUJ views this as an attempt to force the media group to change its editorial policy, which is unacceptable,” the press release read, adding that the union would stand in solidarity with the Dawn Media Group and called on the government to “respect the principles of press freedom and freedom of expression”.

Earlier this year, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) noted in its ‘Islamabad Declaration’ that Dawn has been denied advertisements by the federal and Punjab governments since October 2024 “because of its professional and critical approach in reporting and editorials”.

The Sindh government, too, has periodically withheld its ads for arbitrary reasons.

This was not the only way in which authorities have tried to obstruct Dawn’s reporting – after the so-called ‘Dawn Leaks’ saga, the paper’s circulation was blocked in large parts of the country, especially the cantonment areas, on the orders of certain individuals.