Press Release:Â
The Balochistan Digital Publishers Forum (BDPF), a collective platform of indigenous digital media outlets in the province, strongly condemns the continued discrimination in the distribution of digital advertisements by the Press Information Department (PID) and Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.
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While digital ad campaigns are being rolled out nationwide, not a single digital publisher from Balochistan—the province that covers almost half of Pakistan’s landmass—has been included. This is alarming and deeply unjust.
The federal government’s ad distribution criteria are impossible for small, locally-run digital platforms in Balochistan to meet. There are no major industries or commercial markets in the province, which means that indigenous media relies entirely on government support through official ads.
Despite repeated appeals and documented performance, Balochistan-based publishers have been ignored. Many of these outlets stood firm during the recent Indian aggression, providing fact-based reporting—so much so that several of their platforms were restricted in India.
BDPF appeals directly to the federal government and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting to:
- Review and relax the rigid ad distribution rules for Balochistan.
- Ensure inclusion of indigenous digital platforms in national campaigns.
- Recognize the critical role of Balochistan’s digital media in countering misinformation and promoting national unity.
Balochistan doesn’t need symbolic gestures. It needs a healing touch, fair policies, and representation in all sectors—including media.
This is not just a matter of advertising; it’s about federal equity, inclusion, and survival of free indigenous media.
Balochistan Digital Publishers Forum (BDPF) urges decision-makers in Islamabad: Listen before it’s too late.
