Daily Times

PESHAWAR: Cable operators of Khyber Pakhutnkhwa on Saturday appealed to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regularity Authority (PEMRA) chairman to cancel the auction of Direct to Home (DTH) and postpone its launching for next three years.

They also appealed to PEMRA to take stern action against those who are providing illegal services and operating Indian TV and C-Line across the province. They further stressed on the concerned authorities to remove the Indian TV channels from all kind of sources.

“We will raise our voice at every forum for our rights, will stage protest demonstration and will go to every extent” Ali Raza Khan, coordinator, Cable Operators Federation of Pakistan (COFP) told media persons while addressing a press conference here at Peshawar Press Club.

He said that the PEMRA would auction the DTH license on 23rd November this month which he added would directly affect thousands of cable operators across Pakistan. He maintained that all the cable operators in the country had invested billions of rupees in digital system on the directives of the PEMRA but neither the digital nor the DTH polices are clear to cable operators.

“Since 2000 we have operated the cable system in Pakistan. First we operated analogue cable system then we directed to operate the digital cable system and we have invested billions of rupees in this system but now the concerned authorities launching DTH system” the COFP, provincial coordinator informed.

He was Flanked by dozens of cable operators belonging to different parts of KP district including Imran Nabi, Adil Sardar, Shakir Ullah, Saqib, Nadir Khan, Babar Khan, Naumna Nadeem, Kamran Gohar, Raja Amir, Hayat Chaman, Sohail Khan and others. He added that the PEMRA received billions of rupees as taxes from the cable operators therefore the concerned authority clear the separate policy of DTH and digital system instead of adopting dual policy.

“Nearly 14000 cable operators having legal licensed across the Pakistan are operating cable system in Pakistan. 200 cable operators are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and 45 in Peshawar of the total figure are delivering their services” he said and added the sale of Dish TV and C-Line had already increased in Pakistan.

He therefore appealed to Chief of Army Staff (COAS) to launch operation against the illegal selling of Dish TV and C-line and those spreading negative propaganda against Pakistan.

“We have met several times the PEMRA authorities to find out a solid solution of the issue but to no avail and the concerned authorities are least bothered in this regard” he lamented. With the introduction of DTH system, he said both the cable operators as well as consumers would also affect.