Warns of licences’ revocation; also partially suspends another channel for airing false report
ISLAMABAD, Dec. 23: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority has initiated the process of revoking television licences, following the rejection of security clearance of ‘Labbaik’.
It has served a show cause notice to Labbaik (Pvt) Ltd -- licensee for BOL News and BOL Entertainment -- for not getting security clearance. Pemra said in the notice that security clearance/credibility and track record of the directors of the company was mandatory under rules.
The notice said the Ministry of Interior had regretted giving security clearance of four directors -- Shoaib Ahmed Shaikh, Ms Ayesha Shoaib Shaikh, Viqas Atiq and Sarwat Bashir (currently holding 99.99% shares of Labbaik) vide letter dated March 30, 2016.
Labbaik has been asked to explain within 14 days why legal action should not be taken against it and both of its licenses not be revoked. The notice has directed the company’s chief executive officer to appear for a personal hearing on January 6 at the Pemra Headquarters here.
Meanwhile, the authority in its 122nd meeting has also decided to suspend transmission of Channel 24 from 5:00pm to 12 midnight for a week from December 27. The measure has been taken after the television channel aired a false and unverified clip of PIA plane crash near Havelian. Pemra also imposed Rs1 million file on the channel.
APP adds: Pemra had issued a show cause notice to Channel 24 directing its management to reply by December 15. But the management in its reply to show cause notice and personal hearing could not prove their claim. The authority took this decision keeping in view the gravity of violation, its adverse mental and psychological impact on victim families and the general public that was already going through an emotional trauma.
The authority’s decision had also been conveyed to Paksat and instructions had been issued to Paksat to implement Pemra decision in letter and spirit. Separate instructions had been issued to the cable operators to follow the decision. The Pemra meeting also discussed the non-payment of outstanding dues of Rs1 million by Punjab TV and decided to suspend its licence too.
