Pakistan Bars Media From Iran Attack Site, Contrary To Caretaker PM's 'Freer than the West' Claim

A day after Iran carried out massive missile and drone attacks on Pakistan, Islamabad has imposed a media ban on coverage of the areas where it claims to have caused the deaths of at least two children.

A statement from the Pakistan Prime Minister's Office directs all media outlets not to disseminate any news related to the Iranian strikes in Panjgur and Turbat. The directive also restricts media personnel from accessing the affected areas until further instructions from the government.

Earlier on Tuesday, Iran launched large-scale attacks targeting what it identified as bases inside Pakistan belonging to the militant group Jaish al-Adl-a Sunni organization predominantly active across the border in nuclear-armed Pakistan. According to the Pakistani government, the assault resulted in the death of at least two children.

Notably, the PMO's unexpected statement coincided with Caretaker Prime Minister Anwaarul Haq Kakar's claim that the media in Pakistan was more liberated than in the West. He argued that Western media faced more stringent regulations.

The premier made these assertions during an interview with CNBC at the World Economic Forum, responding to probing questions about the media and upcoming elections. When asked about the freedom and fairness of the media in Pakistan, he stated, "I think so, even freer than the Western media. If you do the comparison, the Western media is probably under stricter regulations than the media in Pakistan."

It's worth noting that this isn't the first instance of the Pakistani government instructing the media on coverage of a specific event. Similar patterns have been observed on various occasions, irrespective of the ruling government. In March of the previous year, Pakistan's media regulator prohibited the broadcast of former Prime Minister Imran Khan's speeches after police arrived at one of his residences to serve another court summons. The ban encompassed both recorded and live speeches by the ousted premier, who faced a no-confidence vote in Parliament in April 2022.

According to the World Press Freedom Index by Reporters Without Borders, Pakistan was ranked 150 out of 180 countries in 2023, compared to its position at 157 in the previous year's index. Reporters Without Borders, a non-profit organization advocating for freedom of information, released this annual data.