- The day will be celebrated under the theme “Shaping a Future at Peace” this year.
- President warns against AI abuse, fake news, risks of global media manipulation.
- PM emphasizes the role of journalism in the informed society and public awareness.
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reaffirmed the government’s commitment to protect and promote press freedom on World Press Freedom Day.
The day is held this year under the theme “Shaping a Future at Peace”.
The President and Prime Minister emphasized the role of responsible journalism, truth and credible information in strengthening democracy, national unity and creating an enabling environment for media freedom.
In his message, President Zardari sent greetings to media workers globally and warned of increasing global threats to press freedom, including misinformation, disinformation, abuse of artificial intelligence, algorithmic manipulation and pressure from powerful technology platforms and social media companies.
He said such forces can distort public discourse and weaken democratic values. Affirming constitutional commitment under Article 19 and 19-A, he said a free press is essential for accountability, transparency and democracy.
The President said this year’s theme highlights that peace depends on truth and truth depends on courageous journalism.
“At the same time, with freedom comes responsibility. Accuracy must not be sacrificed for speed and balance must not give way to partisanship. Public trust, the free press’s most valuable asset, must be earned, protected and never taken for granted,” he added.
He also referred to Pakistan’s overall response during Operation Bunyan-um-Marsoos, praising the media for countering false narratives and maintaining national cohesion. The President also paid tribute to journalists who sacrificed their lives in pursuit of the truth and called for stronger protections and safer working conditions for media professionals.
He also called on citizens to reject lies and support credible journalism and urged both federal and provincial governments to ensure enabling laws and safe working conditions for journalists across the country.
Separately, Prime Minister Shebhaz paid tribute to journalists and media professionals across the world for their services and stated that journalism plays a vital role in building an informed society.
He stressed that authentic, unbiased and verified reporting is the foundation of journalism while urging media professionals to prevent the spread of propaganda, fake news and unverified content.
He said responsible journalism contributes to peace by shaping informed public opinion and strengthening international understanding.
He also acknowledged the sacrifices of journalists who lost their lives in the line of duty and stressed the importance of adapting to digital transformation while maintaining credibility.
He warned against the rise of fake news and disinformation campaigns and called on journalists to uphold verification, integrity and professional ethics and reaffirmed the government’s commitment to ensuring a safe and enabling environment for press freedom.
He further said that the media can play a constructive role in strengthening international relations, economic cooperation and societal harmony, stressing that while speed is important in the digital era, it must never come at the expense of accuracy and verification, as public trust remains journalism’s most valuable asset.
