The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has banned 24 local FM radio stations from broadcasting news bulletins from the BBC Urdu Service. The ban, which affects 24 out of 34 BBC FM partner stations in Pakistan, was relayed to the BBC by the PEMRA, which said it was acting on orders from the government. No official reason was given.

“This ban is a violation of article 19 of the constitution of Pakistan which insures freedom of expression,” said Hamid Mir, co-founder of Geo TV and an IPI member. “This is a clear attack on the freedom of media. Local channels have not violated any law. In fact PEMRA is violating the law.”

The BBC said it was informed by the government that all FM channels would be given written permission to air BBC Urdu news bulletins and that its FM partner stations had completed all the required paperwork for the broadcasts on time.

This is not the first time the BBC has faced a ban on its broadcasts in Pakistan. In November 2007, the government of Pervez Musharraf banned broadcast of the BBC Urdu Service news bulletins. The ban was eventually lifted in May 2008 following a Sindh High Court order, after the current coalition government had come to power in February 2008.

“In a country where journalists are being kidnapped and killed, this ban on BBC reports adds insult to injury, emphasizing the government’s lack of appreciation of the importance of a free press,” said IPI Director David Dadge. “The Pakistani government must lift this ban immediately, in line with the spirit of the 2008 High Court order and democratic principles.”

Media freedom is under considerable strain in conflict-ridden Pakistan. On 5 April, freelance journalist and filmmaker Asad Qureshi went missing from the tribal areas around the city of Kohat in the Northwest Frontier Province of Pakistan, alongside two Inter-Services Intelligence (ISI) officials. A few days, later a message was sent including a video of the kidnapped and a demand for ransom.

Two journalists – Samaa TV cameraman Malik Arif, and Associated Press of Pakistan’s correspondent Azmat Ali Bangash – were killed in bomb explosions on 16 and 19 April, respectively.

Pakistani journalists have expressed concern that this latest ban will further restrict people’s access to independent news.

“PEMRA is also putting pressure on different private television channels not to air paid programmes from Voice of America. If BBC and VOA are not encouraged in Pakistan they may close their operations and lot of journalists will lose their jobs,” Hamid Mir said.