Dawn
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07:17 May 03, 2026
President Asif Ali Zardari and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Sunday expressed the government’s resolve to protect press freedom and stressed the importance of credible journalism. They issued separate messages on the occasion of World Press Freedom Day, reaffirming that Pakistan, as a state, remained firmly committed to safeguarding and promoting freedom of the press. In his message, President Zardari said this year’s theme, “Shaping a Future at Peace”, underscored that peace cannot be secured without truth. Noting that Article 19 of the Constitution guaranteed the right to press freedom subject to any reasonable restrictions imposed by law, the president said, “A free, independent and diverse media is not a threat to a confident nation, rather a proof of one.” “At the same time, freedom brings responsibility. Accuracy must not be sacrificed for speed and balance must not give way to partisanship. Public trust, the most valuable asset of free press, must be earned, protected and never taken for granted,” h...