Political activists raise alarm over shrinking media space in Pakistan-occupied regions

May 05, 2026

Scotland / U.S.A. / PoJK / PoGB, 05 May 2026: In Pakistan-occupied Jammu & Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, claims of press freedom and free expression remain hollow. On World Press Freedom Day, suppression by the Pakistani military persists, prompting exiled leaders to protest against what they call Islamabad’s repressive policies. Journalism in Pakistan and its occupied territories has long faced strict control and pressure. Media, especially print, is regulated through the Information Department (PID), influenced by Inter Services Public Relation or ISPR. Exiled leaders have raised concerns over the worsening state of media freedom. Despite official claims, journalists and activists in Pakistan and its occupied regions continue to report censorship, institutional control, and shrinking space for independent media, raising serious questions about democratic accountability.