Press Freedom Day: Why are journalists fleeing Pakistan?

Noor Ul Amin Danish, 29, was once a well-known investigative crime reporter in Islamabad, the capital city of Pakistan. But he left the South Asian nation in 2021 and is now living in Canada, working at a currency exchange point.

"Journalism in Pakistan offers no financial or intellectual growth. The controlling institutional policies and media ownership are significant barriers," he told DW.

Danish is among the numerous journalists who have fled Pakistan in recent years, seeking physical safety and financial stability in either North America or Europe.

The exodus is driven by security fears, financial struggles and job dissatisfaction, and it highlights the dire conditions faced by journalists in Pakistan.

"Journalists in Pakistan are often killed or abducted, and many continue to work for meager salaries, or no salaries at all," Danish told DW.

'No one is safe back there'

Mumtaz Hussain, a former journalist who served in Pakistani media for a decade before relocating to the United States in 2021, shares a similar view. "No one is safe back there. Journalists are frequently abducted in Islamabad, and many suffer severe injuries while covering protests," he said.

Hussain emphasized the lack of support from media organizations, which he said even fail to provide health insurance or cover medical expenses.

The situation is more grim for female journalists, in a media landscape that is predominantly male. 

Most female journalists in the country are typically confined to major cities and limited to covering themes such as culture, health and sports.

Iffat Rizvi used to work for one of the leading news channels in Pakistan. From 2013 to 2018, she was the only female reporter covering the Supreme Court of Pakistan. But she has since left the country and is currently based in Norway.

"Being a journalist in Pakistan means you must live with multiple risks, including professional, financial and social ones. You receive calls from unknown people, and you must toe the line given by someone. It was total dissatisfaction for me," she said.

Dangerous place for critical journalists

A 2023 report from Freedom Network, an Islamabad-based civil liberties organization, echoed these concerns, noting a more than 60% increase in threats and attacks against journalists over the past year.

Many media professionals believe the situation is likely to worsen as the country remains embroiled in political turmoil and pressures grow on the press to follow the official line.

Last month, over 40 journalists and YouTubers were summoned by the authorities for questioning over their criticism of Supreme Court judges.

According to data released by the US-based Committee to Protect Journalists (CPJ), 64 journalists have been killed in connection with their work in Pakistan since 1992.

The country ranked 11th on CPJ's 2023 Global Impunity Index, which ranks countries by how often killers of journalists go unpunished.

Journalist safety remains a major concern in Pakistan, said the France-based Reporters Without Borders NGO.

"We see neither the state nor the media owners taking responsibility for the protection of journalists," the Pakistani chapter of Reporters Without Borders told DW.

Pakistan ranked 152 out of 180 countries on RSF's Press Freedom Index, released on Friday, down two places from 2023. 

Media groups facing financial struggles

The deeply polarized and hyperpartisan media landscape has also exacerbated problems, observers have said.

Besides security challenges, journalists and media organizations are facing financial woes, with independent news outlets often struggling to generate sufficient revenue to pay their staff a decent wage.

"The financial constraints within media organizations significantly influence editorial policies and the well-being of journalists," said Shabbir Hussain, a Ph.D. scholar in media studies in Pakistan.

Ali Khan (name changed) has been working as a political correspondent at a leading new channel for the past five years. He said he is now planning to leave the country for the United States.

"The professional, organizational and security challenges are overwhelming. There's no freedom of the press, the pay is dismal, no job security, no support from government or organization," Khan, who asked not to reveal his real name for security reasons, told DW.

"I am planning to work at either a gas station or a restaurant. I could earn enough money to support my family in Pakistan," he said.

Moving abroad has its own problems

Moving abroad, however, comes with its own set of challenges for many Pakistani journalists.

"I'm doing a completely different job here, but at least I can earn a decent living and live without fear of threats or pressure from powerful entities," said Danish in Canada.

Rizvi,the Pakistani journalist living in Norway, echoed this view. She said she sometimes contributes to digital media back home while pursuing a master's degree in Europe.

"The earnings here don't matter as much. What matters is the security and peace, which has greatly improved my mental health," she stressed.

Edited by: Srinivas Mazumdaru