Critical BBC coverage of earthquake 'censored'

Pakistani officials have been accused of censorship after launching a crackdown on radio and television stations which have relayed "negative" BBC coverage of the recovery effort after last month's devastating earthquake.

The move followed complaints by army officers to BBC staff in the earthquake zone that their reports were too critical of the Pakistani military's relief efforts.

The country's broadcasting watchdog, the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), raided a private FM radio station in Karachi last week and closed its transmissions for violating broadcasting laws, after it refused to stop relaying Urdu-language material provided by the BBC World Service.

The regulators appointed by the military government also forced two private television channels, Rang and Vibe, to stop broadcasting the BBC's special coverage of the earthquake, or face similar action.

Assisted by the local police, Pemra officials raided the Mast FM103 radio station in Karachi last week and seized its broadcasting equipment, forcing it to cease transmission.