Ministers cite Article 19 and warn that freedom of expression has limits on national security and foreign policy
Federal Ministers Talal Chaudhry, Azam Nazeer Tarar and Attaullah Tarar address a joint press conference, asserting that Pakistan’s interests remain paramount, March 10, 2026.
Federal ministers on Tuesday warned against “sensational” comments about Pakistan’s foreign policy, warning that action would be taken if “red lines” were crossed.
Addressing a joint press conference, Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry, Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar and Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said Pakistan’s interests remained paramount and urged social media users and commentators to avoid unnecessary remarks on the country’s foreign relations.
Highlighting the constitutional provisions, the Justice Minister said Article 19 guaranteed freedom of expression but also imposed certain legal restrictions. Reading out the clauses of Article 19, he warned that people should avoid comments that could endanger national security or harm Pakistan’s relations with friendly countries.
“Freedom of expression has its limits. Caution must be exercised when discussing religion, national security and Pakistan’s relations with friendly countries,” he said.
Azam Tarar added that although the government had maintained a fair policy, action would be taken if the borders were crossed. “Only when the red line is crossed will measures be taken,” he said, calling for caution in his comments on electronic and social media as the region goes through a difficult phase.
“The Ministry of Foreign Affairs has played a key role in the current situation. For us, Pakistan’s interests come first,” Tarar said, adding that the country enjoyed close and friendly ties with regional states.
Read: Deadly protest at US consulate raises questions
Currently, Pakistan is engaged in hostilities with Afghanistan, which intensified in early February 2026, following a series of cross-border clashes in the border regions. Pakistan has accused Afghanistan-based militant groups known as Fitna al-Khawarij to carry out attacks on its soil, which led to a strengthening of security measures along the border.
While the United States and Israel launched pre-emptive attacks against Iran following rising regional tensions. The latest escalation began in early March after the United States and Israel launched pre-emptive strikes on targets in Iran, triggering a sharp deterioration in regional tensions. These attacks follow the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei.
Since then, the conflict has spread across multiple fronts in the Gulf region, with Iran promising retaliation and warning of wider consequences.
The repercussions spread across Pakistan when protests against the assassination of Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on March 1, 2026, turned violent in the Pakistani port city of Karachi, when hundreds of pro-Iran demonstrators marched toward the U.S. consulate.
Hundreds of protesters broke through the exterior wall of the consulate, vandalized the building and attempted to storm the compound amid anti-American and anti-Israeli slogans.
Security forces, including local police, paramilitaries and US maritime security guards, responded with tear gas and, as the situation escalated, opened fire to push back the crowd. At least 10 protesters were killed and dozens more injured in the clashes, and the unrest led to the suspension of visa services at the US consulates in Karachi and Lahore as a security measure. Violence has also spread to other towns, with protesters attacking UN and government offices in parts of the north, such as Skardu.
The minister, in today’s press, warned that negative vlogs or comments on relations between countries simply to gain opinions online could harm Pakistan’s interests.
“Creating sensationalism to gain opinions is harmful. In the current situation, spreading sensationalism is a disservice to the country,” he said.
Learn more: “The media faces an existential threat in Pakistan”
Tarar added that statements made in Pakistani media were often interpreted abroad as the official position of the state. “In other countries, what is said in our media is considered state policy,” he noted, urging commentators not to base discussions on personal likes, dislikes or political agendas.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said Pakistan had consistently sought diplomatic solutions and was playing an active role in regional efforts to defuse tensions. “Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state and has a clear position on defense and foreign policy,” he said, adding that Parliament had also been briefed on the ongoing conflict.
Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar said Pakistan is geographically important and he has sought diplomatic solutions to the current situation. He noted that Parliament had been informed of the ongoing conflict and that the Prime Minister had also issued a statement following the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader. He said the prime minister had issued a statement following the assassination of Iran’s supreme leader and was in contact with leaders of other countries to address the developing situation. “Pakistan is a responsible nuclear state and has a clear position on defense and foreign policy,” he added.
Earlier, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Saturday said on his social media platform
He further said that Pakistan was playing an active diplomatic role in the conflict with the Prime Minister being in touch with various world leaders, and Pakistan had also played an active role in the UN Security Council.
Pakistan’s permanent representative to the United Nations, Ambassador Asim Iftikhar Ahmad, strongly rebuked Afghan and Indian envoys at a United Nations Security Council session on Afghanistan, accusing them of ignoring cross-border militancy targeting Pakistan. He said Afghan diplomat Naseer Ahmad Faiq was “out of touch with ground realities” and criticized him for failing to respond to attacks from Afghan soil that harmed Pakistani civilians, security forces and infrastructure.
Ahmad also accused India of supporting militant groups operating from Afghanistan, including the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and the Balochistan Liberation Army (BLA), and violating international law in occupied Kashmir. Despite criticism, he reaffirmed Pakistan’s commitment to promoting peace and stability in Afghanistan, stressing that this required the Taliban to honor its commitments to counter-terrorism, inclusive governance and protecting the rights of Afghan women and girls.
