In Support of BBC: Lift the Ban Immediately
BBC ‘concern’ over Urdu FM news ban in Pakistan
The BBC World Service has expressed concern that 24 out of its 34 FM partner stations in Pakistan have been told to halt BBC Urdu news broadcasts.
The decision was relayed to the BBC by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority which says it was acting on orders from the government.
The BBC says that its FM partner stations completed all the required paperwork for the broadcasts on time.
No reason for the ban has been officially given to the BBC.
“The BBC is concerned that the millions of radio listeners in Pakistan who turn to the BBC for unbiased and objective news and information will be the most affected by this decision,” a BBC statement said.
Correspondents say that the decision is not because of a bureaucratic oversight and may be connected with political sensitivities surrounding the BBC’s broadcasts in Urdu.
The broadcasts were also banned by Pakistan’s television and radio regulator in 2007, but were re-allowed in 2008.
Here is a post by our fellow blogger Shaheryar Ali on October 29, 2009 when first the ban was imposed.
Stop the Censorship: In Support of BBC
Shaheryar Ali
Today is the third day of censorship being imposed on the BBC in Pakistan BBC news goes on air throughout Pakistan via a series of privately owned FM networks. With the explosion of private TV channels in Pakistan, the standards of journalism have a suffered a great deal. An ideological media fuelled by militant Islamism and Pakistani nationalism is on an ideological crusade in Pakistan whose first victim has been “objective reporting”.
Pluralism and democracy has been completely lacking in the local free media of Pakistan. All the news papers and TV channels have exactly same editorial policy. One gets the feeling he or she is reading same
news again and again. Most of it is objectively incorrect. Most of this media has been fiercely loyal to the policies of Pakistan’s ruling oligarchy. It may take sides on different issues which represent the interests of different factions of oligarchy depending on the Right wing and Pakistani Nationalist dominated press’s opinion of whose “patriot” and whose not but when it comes to broad general interest of the oligarchy inform of the ideological boundaries of state, the media is wholly partisan without any significant exception. The mania against India, denial on state involvement in nuclear proliferation and Islamic fascism, denial of existence of anti colonial struggles like those in Balochistan and Pakistani occupied Kashmir [written and Azad Kashmir or Free Kashmir in all Pakistani media] are to quote few examples where all Pakistani media has exactly same opinion to express, the opinion of Pakistani ruling elite and its state institution
Pakistani authorities always had a problem with the BBC. From the day BBC had collaborated with the local FM radios to increase its coverage in Pakistan; it is being opposed by Pakistani authorities in one way or another. There is usual bureaucratic red tape which always comes in handy when Pakistan wants to censor the BBC. This contract is incomplete and this rule has been violated bla bla bla. The real reason is that Pakistani authorities are fearful of objective reporting. Being a Lefti I am no fan of BBC, but unfortunately the standards of journalism have been deteriorated to such an extant in Pakistan that BBC appears to be the most objective news source in Pakistan. That’s a pity but that’s a fact!
The real crime of BBC is not what is officially being cited, i.e. violations of laws and procedures because if “Rule of Law” was such an important issue in Pakistan, it would have checked the local news channels as well. According to the society for Alternative Media in Pakistan, all news channels in Pakistan are in violence of PEMRA law through which they were granted licenses. None of them have deposited amount fixed in law of their annual income in treasury which they were bound to do so. These news channels do not go off air because they are doing state propaganda to a vulgar extant. BBC does that too, but it tries to maintain at least an illusion of objectivity, even that is not acceptable to Pakistan. The crimes of BBC are:
Reporting on Balochistan: The coverage of BBC Urdu service on Balochistan cannot be called pro-people or pro-Bloch by any means, its crime is that its “reports” about Balochistan: Which no one else does in Pakistan. It tells that people are dying, some people are demanding freedom. Its will give opinion of the resistance as well that of government.
Coverage of Divergent views on Judiciary, Army, Nuclear Issues and Taliban: This along with the views of state institutions and other parties.
Like laws apply differently to two chief justices who broke the law and took oaths of loyalty to same military dictator, depending on whom Jamate Islami and the Right supports, Laws apply differently to BBC and Geo in Pakistan. What’s going on Pakistan against BBC is a hideous press censorship. Even more hideous is the role of Pakistani media which cries foul every time it’s touched but is silent on the continuous censorship of Baloch press and the BBC. Same goes to most Pakistani bloggers, the stalwarts of secularism and Jinnah’s vision who also don’t see anything which is on the wrong side of this Post-colonial state. None wrote any thing against continuous harassment, closure and censorship of Baloch press and now of BBC.
We have not learned anything….
Pakistan Bans Broadcast of BBC Urdu News Bulletins
IPI Urges Government to Lift the Ban Immediately
Friday, 30 April 2010
Barbara Trionfi
Asif Ali Zardari, current President of Pakistan, speaks during a seminar on Media Freedom Laws and Security in Islamabad May 23, 2008. Photo: REUTERS/Mian Khursheed
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 (IPI) 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.
پیمرا سے بی بی سی مایوس
بی بی سی کی عالمی سروس نے اس بات پر مایوسی کا اظہار کیا ہے کہ پاکستان الیکٹرانک میڈیا ریگولیٹری اتھارٹی (پیمرا) نے پاکستان میں اس کے چونتیس میں سے چوبیس پارٹنر سٹیشنز کو اردو سروس کے نیوز بلیٹن نشر کرنے سے روک دیا ہے۔
ایک بیان میں بی بی سی نے کہا ہے کہ اسے یقین ہے کہ جن چوبیس پارٹنر سٹیشنز کو اردو سروس کے نیوز بلیٹن نشر کرنے سے روکا گیا ہے انھوں نے گزشتہ سال اکتوبر میں پیمرا کو درکار تمام ضروری کاغذی کارروائی مکمل کی تھی۔
بی بی سی نے پاکستانی حکام سے مطالبہ کیا ہے کہ وہ پارٹنر سٹیشنز کو اردو کے نیوز بلیٹن نشر کرنے کی اجازت دے تاکہ پاکستان میں سامعین کو بی بی سی کی غیر جانبدار اور ادارتی اعتبار سے آزادانہ خبروں تک رسائی حاصل ہو سکے۔
بی بی سی نے تشویش ظاہر کی ہے کہ پیمرا کے فیصلے سے پاکستان میں وہ لاکھوں سامعین سب سے زیادہ متاثر ہوں گے جو غیر جانبدار خبروں اور اطلاعات کے لیے بی بی بی سی کا رخ کرتے ہیں۔
بیان میں کہا گیا ہے کہ بی بی سی صورتِ حال کا بغور جائزہ لیتی رہے گی اور اردو بلیٹنز کی نشریات واپس لانے کے لیے پارٹنر سٹیشنز کی حمایت جاری رکھے گی۔
گزشتہ روز پاکستان کے وزیرِاطلاعات قمر زمان کائرہ نے بی بی سی اردو سروس کے چونتیس میں سے چوبیس ایف ایم پارٹنر چینلز کو اردو سروس کے پانچ منٹ دورانیے کے نیوز بلیٹن نشر کرنے کی تحریری اجازت دینے سے انکار کر دیا تھا۔ ان پارٹنر سٹیشنز کو پچھلے مہینے کی ستائیس تاریخ کو یہ کہہ کر بی بی سی کی خبریں نشر کرنے سے روکا گیا تھا کہ کاغذی کارروائی کے مکمل ہونے تک وہ بی بی سی کی خبریں نشرکرنا بند کر دیں۔
پاکستان الیکٹرانک میڈیا ریگولیٹری اتھارٹی (پیمرا) کے کہنے پر بی بی سی کے تمام پارٹنر چینلز نے تحریری اجازت کے لیے تمام ضروری کاغذات پچھلے سال اکتوبر میں پیمرا کے دفتر جمع کرا دیے تھے۔ لیکن بی بی سی کے نمائندے نے جب بھی پیمرا سے اس بارے میں استفسار کیا یہی جواب ملا کہ ’آپ کی خبریں چل رہی ہیں، تحریری اجازت سے کیا فرق پڑتا ہے‘۔
پچھلے ماہ ستائیس مارچ کو اچانک بی بی سی کے ان چوبیس پارٹنر چینلز سے فوری طور پر بی بی سی کی خبریں بند کرنے کے لیے کہا گیا۔
جب پیمرا سے رابطہ کیا گیا تو بی بی سی کو بتایا گیا کہ اب تحریری اجازت کے بغیر کسی ایف ایم چینل کو بی بی سی کی خبریں نہیں چلانے دی جائیں گی۔ لیکن اس کے ساتھ ہی یہ بھی کہا گیا کہ جیسے ہی وفاقی وزیر برائے اطلاعات کو وقت ملے گا وہ اس معاملے میں کوئی فیصلہ کریں گے۔
تاہم کئی روز تک وزیر اطلاعات کی مصروفیت کو وجہ بنا کر بی بی سی کے نمائندے کو ٹالا جاتا رہا۔
بی بی سی نے تشویش ظاہر کی ہے کہ پیمرا کے فیصلے سے پاکستان میں وہ لاکھوں سامعین سب سے زیادہ متاثر ہوں گے جو غیر جانبدار خبروں اور اطلاعات کے لیے بی بی بی سی کا رخ کرتے ہیں۔
آخرکار پچھلے جمعہ کو بی بی سی کے نمائندے سے اسلام آباد آنے کو کہا گیا جہاں منگل کی دوپہر اسے بتایا گیا کہ اب کسی اور ایف ایم چینل کو بی بی سی کی خبریں نشر کرنے کی اجازت نہیں ملے گی۔ اس کی کوئی وجہ نہیں بتائی گئی۔
پاکستانی ایف ایم چینلز سے بی بی سی اردو سروس کی خبراں کی نشریات پر پہلی مرتبہ پابندی سابق صدر پرویز مشرف کے دور میں لگائی گئی تھی۔ اس پابندی کو سندھ ہائی کورٹ میں چیلنج کیا گیا اور سندھ ہائی کورٹ نے بی بی سی کے پارٹنر چینلز کے حق میں فیصلہ دیتے ہوئے کہا کہ بی بی سی کی نشریات پر پابندی غیر قانونی ہے۔
Shame on the PPP government!
according to this post http://cafepyala.blogspot.com/2010/04/silencing-airwaves.html
the ban has come from the army based on a report about david headley’s ties to the intelligence agencies
But the PPP government as usual has acted like a faithful dog to the Army. And this is the point.
Well, the PPP had a choice; face further executions, persecutions, remain out of power and be of no use to its voters and supporters, or to have whatever is on the plate and struggle to get more of whatever is being offered by the real power holders. The choice was clear. Days of an imaginary revolution are over.
Why protest if BBC’s is facing some legal restrictions under the laws of the land of Pakistan. Infact there is no restriction on BBC. Only local FM channels have been stopped to re-broadcast the BBC current affairs programmes, under the laws of the land. Every country has legal rights to regulate foreign companies. For instance United Sates has a law under with it doesn’t grant license to run television, radio or other medium of mass communications. Even India did not allow BBC to have the facilities of FM radio. They refused BBC India to run radios station or have their current affairs contents re-broadcast by the local FM radios. People who support freedom of expression must understand that no freedom can be allowed to have anarchy. Moreover, foreign companies are always treated at a different level by any home government. can a Pakistani enter Britain without having obtained visa into UK? Or get other facilities in UK, USA, India or any other country which are specific for the citizens of those countries?
BBC is behaving like an East India Company telling Pakistan what to do and what not to do!! The “Imperialism” still has not died down!
Article 19 of the Constitution doesn’t apply on BBC Pakistan as it’s a foreign company; there are certain restrictions on foreign company operating in the media industry. BBC has not been granted any radio to broadcast its news in Pakistan.
PEMRA Article 25. Certain persons not be granted licence.- A licence shall not be granted to—
(a) a person who is not a citizen of Pakistan or resident in Pakistan;
(b) a foreign company organized under the laws of any foreign government;51
(c) a company the majority of whose shares are owned or controlled by
foreign nationals or companies whose management or control is vested in foreign nationals or companies; or
(d) any person funded or sponsored by a foreign government or organization.
PEMRA Rules 14. Proscription of a foreign broadcasting service.- No foreign channel shall be distributed unless landing rights permission for such channel has been obtained from the Authority:
Provided that a distribution service operator shall relay only TV channels licensed by the Authority.
(“foreign broadcasting service” means a broadcasting service which is uplinkedfrom outside Pakistan and received in Pakistan)
PEMRA Article 27. Prohibition of broadcast media or distribution service operation60:- The Authority shall by order in writing, giving reasons therefore, prohibit any broadcast media or distribution service operator from –
(a) broadcasting or re-broadcasting or distributing any programme or advertisement if it is of the opinion that such particular programme or advertisement is against the ideology of Pakistan or is likely to create hatred among the people or is prejudicial to the maintenance of law and order or is likely to disturb public peace and tranquility or endangers national security or is pornographic, obscene or vulgar or is offensive to the commonly accepted standards of decency; or
(b) engaging in any practice or act which amounts to abuse of media power by way of harming the legitimate interests of another licensee or willfully causing damage to any other person.
Such restrictions are not only in Pakistan. There some other examples such as India, United States and some European countries.
Communication Act, 1934 along with amendments made through Communication Act 1996:
SEC. 310. [47 U.S.C. 310] LIMITATION ON HOLDING AND TRANSFER
OF LICENSES.
(a) The station license required under this Act shall not be granted to or
held by any foreign government or the representative thereof.
(b) No broadcast or common carrier or aeronautical en route or
aeronautical fixed radio station license shall be granted to or held by–
(1) any alien or the representative of any alien;
(2) any corporation organized under the laws of any foreign
government;
(3) any corporation of which more than one-fifth of the capital
stock is owned of record or voted by aliens or their representatives or by a
foreign government or representative thereof or by any corporation
organized under the laws of a foreign country;
(4) any corporation directly or indirectly controlled by any other
corporation of which more than one-fourth of the capital stock is owned of
record or voted by aliens, their representatives, or by a foreign government
or representative thereof, or by any corporation organized under the laws
of a foreign country, if the Commission finds that the public interest will be
served by the refusal or revocation of such license.
BBC Pakistan is cheating people by saying there are some ban on its transmission. There is no ban. But the local FM channels are not allowed to re-broadcast current affairs contents of a foreign broadcasting as per their own condition under PEMRA rules. Does India allow BB such broadcasting on any local FM radio?
Pakistan, now, is not under the critical control of East India Company and mere closing down the BBC broadcast does not mean that PEMRA has successfully eliminated the ‘Imperialist’ influence. Global powers have other means to instigate influence on a country and they are doing it very tactfully since long. This is just a filmsy ground, where Pakistan is still in the red line countries of the ‘Global Media Freedom’ rating where there is a significant threat on freedom of speech in here. Such acts will further confirm the belief without any restraint. Instead, as Musharaf did, this could be the first step to start plugging off the whole electronic media for a complete silence or just to keep on air the ‘noise’ which is in favor.
State censorship gives fuel to propaganda as the public does not have access to independent news so they fall prey to whatever is being said by propaganda cells. Extremist ideologies can be countered by a healthy debate were one has the opportunity to speak out his/her thoughts. Such interactive debates will help us find the reasons behind extremist tendencies in our society.
Freedom of press is an international acclaimed right. It is our right to know. On 3rd of May the whole world including Pakistan combated the international day for the freedom of press. We should opt for the freedom of press because it can serve as the biggest watch-dog for nay government.
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