Pemra to block money trail of recharging Indian DTH, says Absar

Urges Suparco to close channels that do not have Pemra licences

ISLAMABAD: Chairman Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) Absar Alam said on Tuesday that the first phase of operation against illegal Indian Direct to Home (DTH) television had been completed successfully with a number of arrests made and equipment confiscated, which was being used in the illegal activity. 

Speaking to a media conference here, Absar Alam appreciated the federal and provincial governments, Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA), cable operators and the masses for their cooperation in making this operation successful. He noted that Indian channels had banned Pakistani content and the local channels should also reciprocate in same manner.

He said that it was a long battle as this illegal business had been carried out for so many years. He gave credit of the successful operation to Pemra teams, which conducted raids in various parts of Pakistan. Absar rubbished the impression that the operation has been launched on the behest of someone, pointing out in April, the prime minister had tasked him to establish the writ of the authority and in August deadline of October 15 was given for stoppage of illegal Indian content from electronic media.

On the Pemra’s Operation-II, he said that the success of the operation against the illegal Indian DTH had proved that if the nation was united, action could be taken against such projects in which billions of rupees investments were involved.

Absar explained that out of 120 licence holder television channels, only three violated the Pemra rule of 6 percent Indian content and their cases would be discussed in the meeting of the Authority and if proved guilty strict action would be taken against them.

With the cooperation of State Bank of Pakistan (SBP), the Authority, he noted, would block the money trail of the recharging of the Indian DTH in Pakistan. 

He said Suparco providing platform for uplinking to several illegal religious channels who do not possess Pemra licences. Suparco should close all such channels and also those foreign channels who do not have landing rights.

Regarding DTH licencing, Absar maintained that Pemra had received very good response and seven more applications have been received for local DTH system while nine companies had already been shortlisted.

He said that the new applicants include Orient Electronics, Mag Entertainment, Skyflix, Startimes Communications Pakistan, Vision Broadcast, Link Dot Net Pakistan and World Call Telecom. 

Absar said that landing rights policy for foreign channels had been relaxed so that the people could benefit from informative channels. He added that in Samundri, Faisalabad, the security guards of a bread factory, which was reportedly owned by an influential person, opened firing when the Pemra team entered the factory for inspection. He said that the SHO of the area was creating hurdles in registration of the FIR, and the matter had been brought into the notice of Punjab chief minister.

Pemra chairman contended that action would be taken against all violating Pemra laws and added that the owners of the factory also wanted to get licence for a satellite TV channel but elements committing open violation of law would be discouraged to get the licence.

In reply to a question, Absar noted that most of the satellite channels had installed delay mechanism but some channels do not utilise them and allow unwanted material to go on air.

Absar said that Pemra teams had been visiting offices of TV channels regarding delay mechanism. He noted they had written a letter to the government suggesting that Indian content should be shown on satellite televisions on reciprocal basis.

He also made an appeal to the general public to stop usage of illegal Indian DTH as it was also a matter of patriotism. Absar appealed to Paksat not to give permission to anyone to upload Indian beam.

APP adds from Sargodha: The enforcement team of Pemra has sealed five cable operators offices in Khushab and Mianwali for telecasting Indian channels illegally. During an operation against the cable operators involved in telecasting illegal DTH service and Indian channels, the teams confiscated DTHs and issued warnings. 

Pemra Deputy General Manager Rana Ahmed Mustafa said that Indian content was being telecast through illegal DTH Indian channels and in-house channels (CD channels) in violation of the government instructions.