Associated Press of Pakistan (APP)
The Associated Press of Pakistan (APP) is the state-run news agency of Pakistan, established shortly after the country gained independence in 1947. As Pakistan’s flagship national newswire, APP plays a central role in shaping the government’s public communication strategy. However, the agency has long struggled with underfunding, operating from dilapidated premises and relying on outdated technical infrastructure that hampers its journalistic efficiency and credibility.
Media assets
News agency: APP
State Media Matrix Typology
Ownership and governance
APP is wholly owned by the Government of Pakistan and functions under the administrative control of the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. In 2002, APP was converted into a corporate entity known as the Associated Press of Pakistan Corporation. Despite this nominal corporatization, its operations and leadership remain firmly tethered to the state.
The agency’s top executive—the Managing Director—is directly appointed by the government, typically from within the ranks of serving bureaucrats. For instance, in March 2023, Muhammad Asim was appointed Managing Director while simultaneously holding the post of Head of the Cyber Wing at the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, a dual role that underscores the close institutional ties between APP and the state apparatus.
Source of funding and budget
According to insights gathered from Pakistani media professionals and analysts during field interviews conducted in March 2023, June 2024 and July 2025, APP operates on a shoestring budget relative to other state media organisations. Experts estimate that APP’s budget is over ten times smaller than that of the Pakistan Broadcasting Corporation (PBC), another major state media entity.
Although APP generates modest revenue through the sale of content subscriptions—primarily to public institutions and select media outlets—these commercial activities cover only a fraction of its expenditures. Local estimates suggest that close to 70% of its annual operating budget is covered by government subsidies.
Editorial independence
APP functions not as an independent journalistic body but as an arm of the state’s communication machinery. Editorial directives are centrally controlled through the Managing Director, whose dual role as a government official further blurs the line between public information and political messaging.
The agency refrains from publishing critical or adversarial content about the government and primarily acts as a conduit for official statements, press releases, and narratives aligned with the sitting administration. Interviews with local journalists and observers confirm that APP’s editorial stance consistently echoes government priorities, with little room for dissenting perspectives or journalistic scrutiny.
As of June 2025, there remains no domestic legislation to safeguard APP’s editorial independence, nor does any external regulatory or oversight mechanism exist to evaluate or enforce such independence. The absence of a public service remit or independent governance structure renders the agency vulnerable to political interference and instrumentalisation.
July 2025