The US has expressed concern over attacks targeted at the media and threats and harassment of journalists in Pakistan by security forces, political parties and militants.

Participating in a virtual roundtable, US Secretary of State Antony Blinken has also decided "significant restrictions" on media outlets and on civil society in Pakistan, The News reported.

"Media and content restrictions as well as a lack of accountability for attacks against journalists clearly are a threat to the ability to exercise the right to freedom of expression and association in Pakistan.

“We’ve documented some of this in our Country Reports on Human Rights Practices, and we see media outlets, journalists, their families in Pakistan often subject to threats, harassment at the hands of security forces, political parties, militants, other groups," the secretary said.

Blinken said the US regularly raises such issues and concerns with Pakistani authorities in conversations and in meetings.

"Our open and honest engagement with Pakistan enables us, I think, to have an ongoing, sustained dialogue on human rights issues more broadly, and more specifically when it comes to press freedom, the rule of law, religious freedom, even as we collaborate in a number of areas where we have very clear mutual interests," he said.

(SAM)