World Press Freedom Day, observed on May 3, focussed attention on the rapidly deteriorating state of media freedom across the globe. The day is celebrated annually to highlight the important role a free press plays in upholding democratic values and promoting public interest in all domains of life. It is also a day to honour journalists who risk their lives while performing their professional duty of which the latest example is Gaza where many media persons have been killed in the last two years.

On the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, Reporters Without Borders’ (RSF) published a depressing report on the state of the media in the world. According to the RSF, not only have media freedoms receded rapidly in many countries where civil liberties and democracy were already in retreat, but they are also facing mounting pressures in places long considered havens of free speech and independent journalism.

In its latest index, released on the eve of World Press Freedom Day, the RSF has classified the international media freedom situation as ‘difficult’. This denotes a deteriorating situation, a downgrade from the previously ‘problematic’ status and the second-lowest classification possible. This shift, according to the RSF, is driven by unprecedented economic pressures on news organisations worldwide, coupled with political interference and increasing violence against journalists.

According to the RSF, over half the world’s population — 56.7 percent — lives in regions devoid of press freedom and where journalism remains a dangerous profession. The report says that the global media landscape is under unprecedented economic pressure, with financial constraints being the most serious threat to press freedom, even in established democracies like the US and the EU.

As in previous years, press freedom has the highest score in the Scandinavian countries. Touching a new low, the US dropped to 57th position on the World Press Freedom Index 2025, with its media environment categorised as “problematic”. According to the RSF, the US is undergoing an unprecedented and sustained decline in press freedom, which is likely to worsen further with Donald Trump’s return to power. What is concerning, media ownership in both the US and the EU is increasingly concentrated in the hands of a few, with their focus more on maximising profits than supporting journalism that serves the public good. Most disturbingly, the conflict in the Middle East has completely exposed the limits of media independence in many Western democracies, where criticism of the Israeli government or Zionist ideology is often equated with antisemitism, whose purpose is to  silence dissent and discourage truthful reporting.

The fact that Pakistan has slipped six spots to rank 158 out of 180 countries in the 2025 World Press Freedom Index reflects the growing crisis the media in the country faces in its day to day working. According to a recent report of the Pakistan Press Foundation, the controversial Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2025 has greatly increased fears of concocted and misdirected legal actions against journalists — especially in the digital sphere. This has been described as an encroachment on media freedom by the authorities concerned. Proponents of a free press have rightly pointed out that although PECA legislation is purported to curb fake news and negative impact of social media, it has been increasingly used as a tool to stifle dissent and suppress criticism of the powers that be. Overall, PECA has created a climate of fear which discourages investigative journalism, abridging the public’s right to access to information.

On World Press Freedom Day, both President Zardari and PM Shehbaz Sharif issued official statements reiterating the government’s commitment to upholding media freedom. But on the ground, the government measures tell a different story. The actual situation is explained in a statement issued recently by the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) , saying that “Press freedom and freedom of expression are fast eroding in the country”.

The PFUJ has condemned the recent legislation enacted by the federal and Punjab governments “to stifle the freedom of expression”. It has strongly criticised the changes in the Prevention of Electronic Crimes Act (PECA) 2025 made by the federal government and the Defamation Law passed by the Punjab Assembly and said that they were aimed at controlling the media and stifling the freedom of expression. The PFUJ has also criticised the government for using high-handed tactics like kidnapping of journalists, implicating them in false cases, blocking their bank accounts and those of their family members. As per many world reports, Pakistan remains one of the most dangerous places for journalists globally, with reporters frequently facing threats, harassment, abductions, and even deadly violence, often with little accountability for the perpetrators, fostering a culture of awe and fear.

Since a free press is the foundation stone of a true democracy, it is important for those in power as well as the political class as a whole to take urgent action to provide an enabling environment in which independent journalism can function and grow contributing its bit to the building of a stable democracy and progressive society. This is the resounding message of World Press Freedom Day.