LONDON: The BBC world service has said it is disappointed that 24 out of its 34 FM partner stations in Pakistan have been asked to cease broadcasting BBC Urdu service’s news bulletins by tha Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Athority (pemra).

However, pemra Chairman PEMRA Malik Mushtaq said under the PEMRA Act, a local broadcaster must seek prior permission from the Authority before airing foreign content.

Out of 34 local broadcasters airing BBC news bulletins, only 10 had acquired No- Objection Certificates (NOC) from Pemra. Under pemra rule they can broadcast foreign content for only 10 percent of their total air-time and they should also inform Pemra about the nature of content, Malik added. Ten stations had been given permission to broadcast BBC content but the other 24 had not applied, he also said.

In a press release, the BBC said it believes that 24 partner FM stations had completed all the required paperwork for PEMRA last October and called on Pemra to allow the stations to resume BBC Urdu Service’s news bulletins so that audiences in Pakistan could have access to the BBC’s “impartial and editorially independent news”.
Source: The Express Tribune
Date:4/29/2010