The British Broadcasting Corporation, BBC today said Pakistan has banned the beaming of its Urdu news service on local FM radio channels. <br/><br/>BBC Urdu service reported on its website that Information Minister Qamar Zaman Kaira has not given written permission to BBC's 24 partner FM stations to air five-minute bulletins. <br/><br/>BBC currently broadcasts its Urdu news bulletins through local FM channels under permission granted last year by the Pakistan government.<br/><br/>BBC Urdu service chief Aamir Ahmed Khan said, the ban on BBC Urdu through FM channels is strange. BBC said it was told by the government that all FM channels will be given written permission to air its Urdu news bulletins.<br/><br/>BBC had started providing five-minute news bulletins to 24 FM channels.<br/><br/>The regime of former military ruler Pervez Musharraf had first banned BBC new bulletins on FM channels but the restriction was lifted by the Sindh High Court, which<br/>described the move as illegal.<br/><br/>BBC news bulletins on FM channels resumed after the court's verdict.<br/><br/>BBC news bulletins were banned again after Musharraf imposed emergency in November 2007.<br/><br/>The Pakistan People’s Party-led government lifted the ban after it came to power in 2008.