ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Monday shortlisted 12 companies for participation in the first bidding for direct-to-home (DTH) service licences to be held on November 23.
The shortlisted companies included Orient Electronics Lahore, Mag Entertainment Lahore, Skyflix Islamabad, Smartimes Communications Islamabad, Sardar Builders Islamabad, Smart Sky Islamabad, Parus Media and Broadcast Islamabad, Naya Tel Islamabad, Maestro Media Distribution Islamabad, Shahzad Sky Islamabad, HB DTH Islamabad and IQ Communications Karachi, said PEMRA Chairman Absar Alam while talking to reporters after chairing a meeting of the authority.
Absar Alam said that the auction of three licences would be held through open competitive bidding.
To a question, he said the operation against illegal Indian DTH would continue until its complete elimination. India, he said, was involved in shelling Pakistani areas on the Line of Control (LoC) and the Working Boundary. He said that even on Monday, seven Pakistani soldiers were martyred in unprovoked Indian firing. “But a lobby seems to be working for ending a ban on airing of Indian content and dramas on Pakistani channels,” he said, adding that they would not succeed in their conspiracies.
The PEMRA chief said the authority also decided to issue an FM radio licence to the National Press Club Trust.
To a question about illegal termination of employees by various electronic media houses, he said that PEMRA would take action as per law. A show cause notice had been issued to a satellite TV channel against which an employ had filed a complaint after his dismissal, and decision would be made after its reply, he said.
To another query, he said a majority of the cable operators was cooperating with PEMRA, and all possible steps would be taken to resolve their genuine issues.
He said some of the cable operators were protesting against the ban on Indian content, but that was against the wishes of the people and ground realities.
At a time when the Indian army was shelling Pakistani land and killing innocent citizens, it was out of question to allow the use of Indian DTH.
He said the Pakistani DTH would not only promote national culture but also benefit the nation economically.
To a question, Absar Alam said that a letter had been written to the Defence Ministry for action against the use of illegal Indian DTH in the Defence Housing Authority. He urged the managements of the housing authorities to approach their residents to stop the use of Indian DTH.
The meeting was attended by Interior Secretary Arif Ahmed Khan, Federal Bureau of Revenue Chairman Nisar Muhammad Khan, Pakistan Telecom Authority Chairman Dr Ismail Shah and members of the authority from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Punjab Nargis Nisar and Shaheen Habibullah.
