According to the Council of Pakistan Newspaper Editors' (CPNE) Media Freedom Report 2020, at least 10 Pakistani journalists were murdered and several others threatened, kidnapped, tortured and arrested on trumped-up charges while discharging their professional responsibilities last year, reported by local media Dawn.

While the COVID-19 pandemic posed a big challenge to the media in Pakistan, where at least nine journalists died of the infection, journalists continued to face extreme pressures with regard to freedom of the press, and of speech, during the year.

The report further said that according to investigative reports on press freedom, journalists discharged their duties despite increasing restrictions from January to December last amid conspiracies to curtail freedom of expression.

The council's Media Freedom Report 2020 points out that no action has been taken against those responsible for torturing and killing of journalists.