At FactFocus, our commitment to rigorous, data-driven investigative journalism is delivering real change for citizens across Pakistan and beyond. We strive to provide accurate, fact-based information that empowers our readers and the public to make informed decisions and hold the powerful accountable. Despite operating in an increasingly difficult environment, marked by the erosion of democratic institutions and growing restrictions on free speech, especially in Pakistan, we remain steadfast in our mission.
Our Impact:
Founded in 2020 by senior investigative journalist Ahmad Noorani, FactFocus has delivered significant social and political impact across Pakistan in just six years of operation.
Exposing Power and Corruption: Reporting on the wealth and corruption of Pakistan’s military leadership has long been considered taboo. FactFocus broke that barrier through a series of groundbreaking investigations, including the landmark Bajwa Leaks, which exposed billions of rupees in assets accumulated by some of the country’s most powerful military figures during their time in office. These investigations attracted international attention, triggered widespread public debate, and were met with censorship, underscoring their impact. We have also investigated nepotism, the overseas assets of influential political families, and failures of governance, consistently holding those in power to account.
Human Rights and Justice: Blasphemy remains one of the most sensitive and taboo subjects in Pakistan. A FactFocus team led by journalist Qindeel Azeem was the first outlet to investigate and expose the Blasphemy Business Group; a network responsible for entrapping and destroying the lives of hundreds of young people. Our in-depth investigative series revealed organized entrapment rings, honey-trapping operations, torture in custody, and extrajudicial killings, often carried out with the complicity of elements within state institutions like NCCIA. As a result of our investigative work, public interest in the issue has surged. The word ‘blasphemy’ once too dangerous to even mention has now become a topic of open discussion and genuine public concern.
Our core values
Fact-Based Reporting: We believe that facts, not opinions or rumors, are the cornerstone of good journalism. We always strive to verify our sources and present multiple perspectives in our stories.
- Transparency: We are open and transparent about our reporting processes and sources. We aim to provide readers with a clear understanding of how and why we arrive at our conclusions.
- Fairness: We believe that all sides of a story deserve to be heard. We strive to present a balanced and impartial view of the facts.
- Challenge to Censorship: We believe that censorship is a threat to democracy and free speech. We will not be afraid to challenge censorship and bring important stories to light.
- Reliance on Named Sources: We aim to rely on named sources whenever possible. When it is necessary to use anonymous sources, we will provide a detailed explanation of why they have chosen to remain anonymous.
- Professionalism: Our journalists adhere to the highest standards of ethical conduct and accuracy in their reporting.
Our Team
- Muhammad Usman
- Ahmad Noorani
- Ghulam Mustafa
- Jamshaid Ali
Former Team Members
- Amara Shah
- Areeba Fatima
- Amjad Ali
- Muhammad Ali Rizvi
- Usman Manzoor
Important Editorial Note:
FactFocus was founded in 2020 by Senior investigative journalist Ahmad Noorani as an independent digital platform dedicated to in-depth, evidence-based journalism on governance, human rights, corruption, and accountability issues in Pakistan and beyond. Despite malicious and unfounded campaigns by certain individuals, who have falsely claimed co-founder, Editor or significant operational roles in the platform, FactFocus remains solely led and operated by Ahmad Noorani and a small team of committed journalists and researchers. Names of our current and previous team members are included in this section. All investigative reports published by freelance journalists have always been credited to them and are approved by our Editorial Board. These baseless claims were designed to undermine the credibility of our independent reporting and create confusion. We remain committed to our mission of delivering verified and unbiased investigations.