KARACHI: On the eve of World Press Freedom Day, the Centre for Excellence in Journalism (CEJ) at IBA organised a special gathering of leading journalists, editors, human rights defenders, media students and faculty from the print, electronic and digital media to exchange ideas on building a stronger, more inclusive and trustworthy journalism.

In his opening remarks, CEJ-IBA’s Director Shahzeb Jillani said that they are holding the event at a critical time when, according to Reporters Without Borders, press freedom is at its lowest point in 25 years worldwide. “How journalists are targeted for reporting the truth is on full display. And it is happening all over the world, here as well as in the West,” he said.

“Media students today may think why take up journalism then? Yes, journalism may have its challenges but people continue to be associated with this profession for there also being a silver lining,” he added.

A panel discussion moderated by Nadia Naqi of DawnNews had Iqbal Khattak of Freedom Network, PFUJ’s former president Shahzada Zulfiqar, who hails from Balochistan, and Adil Jawad of Safe Journalism to discuss ‘Shooting the messenger: the price we pay’.

Marking World Press Freedom Day, media persons at CEJ-IBA explore ways to strengthen journalism

“Regulatory repression of freedom of expression is a new form of threat that we are facing now,” said Iqbal Khattak. “Legal controls and the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act [Peca] undermine media and journalism in Pakistan. On top of that economic strangulation by controlling advertisements is pushing the media aside. Journalists are also intimidated to control their work,” he added.

Shahzada Zulfiqar spoke of news blackouts from Balochistan. “People’s names are not provided in reports most of the time citing ‘sources’,” he said, adding that when local media cannot give the news, you can get it from the wire services or the BBC. Social media was also giving the news and it was not easy to stop it from doing that until laws were introduced to cover social media. “Small newspapers in Balochistan have few reporters who are told by the paper owners to write in a way that they don’t catch the attention of the establishment. There is Dawn here already, which is facing the wrath of the establishment for reporting truthfully and losing out on all government advertisements,” he added.

“Peca cases are created to scare journalists,” said Adil Jawad. He shared the example of a journalist who had to travel to Gadani for his case hearings and to travel that far he was spending thousands from his pocket. “When he would appear in court, the hearing would be postponed and when he wouldn’t go the case proceedings would move against him,” he said.

Another panel discussion on ‘Reporting from the field? Navigating everyday trolling, pressures and restrictions’ had Sidra Dar of Soch (formerly of Voice of America and Geo), Kiran Khan of Geo and freelance journalist Yusra Askari speak to moderator Shahzeb Ahmed of Dawn.com.

Speaking about what made her want to join journalism, Sidra Dar said that as a student she had too many issues with the system. “My teacher suggested that I become a journalist to understand issues and get to their bottom, so here I am,” she said, adding that she got into the field in 2010. “There have been occasions when I have also thought of quitting but then I had second thoughts about who else is better to report on things than myself,” she said. “I have done good stories, exclusive stories and women-centric stories that made way for betterment. My work gives me energy,” she added.

Kiran Khan who was injured while reporting a bomb blast in Orangi Town when a second bomb went off after 40 minutes of the first blast, said that when she opened her eyes in hospital later she saw her father telling her that that was it and no more reporting. “That’s when I told him that I know no other work,” she said.

Yusra Askari, who has also reported for NDTV and been accused of being a “RAW Agent”, said that she learned to face it all while enjoying her work. “We must not have hard hearts and soft feet. We must have soft hearts and hard feet to face all challenges,” she said.

Senior Correspondent Al Jazeera, Osama Bin Javaid, spoke about being ‘Eyewitness to history: reporting on war and genocide’ where he drew attention to the immense sacrifices of the people of Gaza and the sacrifices of the journalists of Gaza who are arrested, tortured, starved, raped and killed. “The least we can do is to remember them. It is a calling. They are reporting not for the glory, the vanity or the thrill. They are reporting because they care. For them journalism is not just a profession,” he said.

Finally, Dawn Editor Zaffar Abbas, in conversation with Shahzeb Jillani, spoke about surrendering not being an option. He said that journalism each day brings with it the satisfaction of exposing the bad elements to move towards good.

Chairperson of Social Sciences and Liberal Arts at CEJ-IBA, Dr Laila Sohail Farooq and Syed Talal Ahsan of iVerify Pakistan also spoke.

Published in Dawn, May 3rd, 2026