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Munizae Jahangir signs off TV show after 11 years: Concern arises within journalist circles & political leaders

14 Min Read

July 23, 2026

By Xari Jalil

LAHORE

“Forced censorship is not just the silencing of a single journalist, it is also the silencing of the public’s right to information,” read the Freedom Network’s official statement released on Thursday 23 July, a day after the sudden conclusion of Munizae Jahangir’s 11 year long television show called Spotlight with Munizae Jahangir.

Jahangir ended her last show with a message thanking all those who supported truth and journalism and said that this would be her last show after almost a decade long collaboration with the TV channel Aaj News. She recalled the times she had spent reporting from various places including conflict zones and sensitive areas, bringing news from on-the-ground.

Jahangir thanked her management and said it had been a ‘tough decision’ but that journalists occasionally encountered such ‘crossroads’ during their careers. Within hours the news became viral and was met by a wave of concern by civil society.

Unions, press clubs and organizations support Munizae Jahangir

Freedom Network, the media watchdog said there were questions once again over the ‘growing pressure on independent journalism’ and the ‘shrinking space for freedom of expression in Pakistan.’

“Free and critical journalism is the foundation of any democratic society. Suppressing the voices of journalists not only impacts press freedom, but also undermines the public’s right to remain informed,” it said in the statement. “We reaffirm our commitment to defending freedom of the press and freedom of expression, and express solidarity with all journalists who face pressure, censorship, or forced silence in the line of duty.”

Islamabad based journalist Asad Toor in his vlog was much more critical.

“It seems that some issues she raised on her show caused some objections, including an interview with Leader of Opposition, Mehmood Khan Achakzai and then she has also discussed at length the conviction and sentence given to Baloch rights activist Mahrang Baloch, from the angle of a journalist with a strong legal background. Sources say there was pressure building up,” Toor said. He then went on to criticize the way journalists were being silenced.

“There is so much censorship, that even if one voice is speaking out about something which is disliked, that one voice will also be silenced. A month ago the axe fell on Matiullah Jan from his channel and now Munizae Jahangir has become the victim. Before there were others including Kashif Abbasi. Mainstream media is now fully compromised. It is completely sold,” said Toor. “It shows there is no tolerance for different opinions.”

The Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists (PFUJ) has expressed serious concern over the sign off by Jahangir. PFUJ reiterated that has raised serious alarms over the growing denial of freedom of expression in the country. The union’s leaders said that ongoing pressure on media management to lay off senior journalists and anchors, calling it ‘unconstitutional’ and a direct violation of the right to work.

Highlighting Munizae Jahangir’s case, who they said was signed off without cause, PFUJ President Afzal Butt and Secretary General Arshad Ansari urged authorities to immediately cease tactics intended to silence journalists. Calling the systematic attempt to stifle the press alarming, PFUJ leaders demanded full protection for freedom of speech, reminding authorities.

“You can silence a voice, but you cannot silence an entire community,” they concurred.

Other unions also spoke up. “The forced dismissal of Munizae Jahangir and her entire team is a direct attack on press freedom, freedom of expression, and independent media,” posted the Rawalpindi and Islamabad Bureaus Journalists’ Association.

Similarly the Rawalpindi/ Islamabad Union of Journalists (RIUJ) and the Women Journalists Association of Pakistan (WJAP) both strongly condemned the ‘forced dismissal’ of the senior journalist.

“An attempt to silence a fearless 24-year journalism journey is an attack on press freedom. We express complete solidarity with Munizae Jahangir,” said the press statement by WJAP.

Meanwhile, in a joint statement, National Press Club (NPC) President Abdul Razaq Sial, Secretary Dr. Furqan Rao, and members of the Governing Body said that the growing lack of transparency in media organizations, restrictions on freedom of expression, job insecurity, and the continued violation of labour laws have become serious issues, adversely affecting press freedom and the fundamental rights of journalists. They expressed deep concern over the sudden decision to take senior journalist and anchorperson Munizae Jahangir off air.

 

HRCP is deeply alarmed by the continued deterioration of freedom of expression in Pakistan, with the walls steadily closing in on independent journalism. It is now critical for the state to uphold the constitutional guarantee of freedom of expression and help protect not only editorial independence, but also people’s right to information and their right to question decisions that affect their lives. The recent removal of senior journalist Munizae Jahangir’s long-running television programme, ‘Spotlight’ on
Aaj TV should not be seen as an isolated incident but rather as part of a broader pattern of curbs on media freedom. Such developments reinforce widespread concerns that journalists who ask difficult questions or create space for critical debate are being edged out of mainstream platforms.

Other journalists speak out

The President of the Karachi Press Club posted from his personal account.

An incredible decade-plus of courageous journalism. Thank you for your dedication to truth and press freedom on Spotlight. Wishing you the absolute best in your next endeavor, Munizae! https://t.co/9or1wAsa3n

— Fazil Jamili (@faziljamili) July 23, 2026

Senior anchor Hamid Mir also commented invoking the memory of Munizae’s mother, human rights lawyer, Asma Jahangir.

I remember that your mother Asma Jahangir never wanted you to become journalist. She asked me many times to convince you for leaving journalism and become a lawyer but I never asked you to leave journalism. I had big fights with her. It’s unfortunate that you are off aired. Those… https://t.co/NeU4XKCZgN

— Hamid Mir حامد میر (@HamidMirPAK) July 23, 2026

“This is a major blow to press freedom & freedom of expression in Pakistan as any independent journalism is met with official & unofficial pressure,” posted digital rights activist Usama Khilji.

 

 

Political leaders weigh in 

Political leaders were not far behind. Pakistan People’s Party former Senator and human rights defender Farhatullah Babar instantly posted about it.

Afrasiab Khattak also posted a poem by Kahlil Gibran, which spoke of the importance of freedom and consciousness.

Youtube channel

Meanwhile Munizae Jahangir has launched her own channel on Youtube,

Munizae Jahangir Official, where she will be posting news reports, analysis, and interviews on a regular basis. It can be reached at:

https://youtube.com/@munizaejofficial?si=DzeV2IwcUUzV_0UV

Women journalists political personalities stood by the senior journalist in this time.

Ads withdrawn to pressure TV channels

The key question arising from the situation is how funds that are meant for the media are being used not to run these networks, but to propel fear or curry favour.

“There is no transparency on how these funds are distributed amongst media channels,” said a senior journalist, on condition of anonymity. “And that is the fundamental question that must be asked. The real problem was that to make channels suffer, ads are removed as a threat. Speaking about the situation in Balochistan or any other issue connected to that is dangerous for journalists. In other words, talking about critical issues in Pakistan, which have human rights importance, or are about women’s issues, or of women human rights defenders, can now really get you into trouble.”

The journalist said that following any of these narratives and issues could lose their result in journalists losing their job. “More importantly, government funds – which are really public funds, are being used to punish journalists, to punish TV channels and it becomes a collective punishment for these TV channels. And that’s plain wrong.”

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