Pakistan has introduced new restrictions on international media reporting, requiring foreign journalists and local contributors working for foreign outlets to obtain official permission before reporting outside the cities of Islamabad, Karachi, and Lahore, according to the BBC. Issued on Sunday, the new Foreign Media Facilitation Guidelines 2026 require journalists to secure a No Objection Certificate (NOC) before covering stories elsewhere in the country. The rules also apply to Pakistani nationals, including freelancers, working for international media organizations. The government said the guidelines are intended to create an administrative mechanism to verify foreign media, facilitate access, and coordinate reporting requirements, rather than restrict press freedom. However, journalist groups and media advocates have criticized the measures, arguing they could significantly hamper independent reporting across most of Pakistan.