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Press Releases
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Urdu bulletins return to Pakistan FM stations after six-month ban
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Urdu is relaunching its live five-minute news bulletins on local Pakistan FM partner stations on Tuesday 6 May 2008.
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This follows their disruption by Pakistani regulators after the imposition of emergency rule on 3 November last year.
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Pakistan's Information Minister Sherry Rehman told the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ that, in keeping with the new Government's media policy, there were now no restrictions on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ news bulletins being broadcast on local channels in Pakistan.
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She said: "As far as I know, there should be no restrictions on the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ that PEMRA [Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority] had imposed," she said in an interview with the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ shortly after addressing the South Asia Free Media Association in Islamabad on the International Press Freedom Day.
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"I would encourage you to think that it is not just PEMRA that I am talking about but the Ministry of Information as a facilitator as opposed to a regulator," Ms Rehman said.
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"Regulation is a self-imposed thing among responsible, democratic societies and I would leave that to responsible journalists such as yourselves. But certainly as far as the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ is concerned I see no reasons why it should be under any restrictions," she said.
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When reminded that PEMRA had imposed restrictions on Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ news bulletins being broadcast live, the Information Minister said she would look into the matter right away.
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"You have my commitment on changing that," she said.
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Local FM stations started airing five-minute news bulletins from Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Urdu after protracted negotiations with PEMRA resulted in Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ news bulletins being permitted to be broadcast through local FM partner stations.
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However, within days of launching the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ bulletins, its partner stations came under pressure from the regulators to block Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ news bulletins.
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The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and its partner Mast FM initiated proceedings in the Sindh High Court which immediately granted the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and its partner stations a stay.
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The court ordered that the status quo be maintained whereby Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ and its partner stations were to continue airing Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ bulletins until the case was decided.
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Following the imposition of the state of emergency on 3 November last year, the status quo was forcibly altered by the regulators and the bulletins were taken off air.
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The Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ news bulletins will now resume on 6 May after a break of six months.
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Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ Urdu Head Mohammed Hanif said: "We welcome the Pakistan Government's commitment to allowing the free flow of information. We know our partner stations and listeners in Pakistan have valued the Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ's impartial and editorially independent news and information." Μύ
Βι¶ΉΤΌΕΔ World Service Press Office
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