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Ban on Indian TV channels hits Pak cable operators hard
Islamabad, Aug 15: Notwithstanding the present bonhomie between Pakistan and India, Islamabad has imposed fresh curbs on Indian TV channels causing much heartburn among local cable operators.
Islamabad, Aug 15: Notwithstanding the present bonhomie between Pakistan and India, Islamabad has imposed fresh curbs on Indian TV channels causing much heartburn among
local cable operators.
According to the Cable Operators Association of Pakistan (COAP), the official regulatory body Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has banned the showing of Indian channels throughout the country despite its recent promises to remove curbs on them.
The fresh directive by PEMRA has come a surprise to COAP as the official body had earlier agreed to the pleas of Coap to allow them to show Indian entertainment channels, while continuing the ban on Indian news channels. PEMRA had agreed to permit showing of entertainment channels after COAP lobbied hard with the government stating that their business was badly hit by the ban on Indian channels.
But much to the surprise of COAP, PEMRA again clamped a ban despite the on-going process of normalisation of ties.
"PEMRA has warned us of stern action if we show Indian entertainment channels. We are back to square one," vice president of COAP, Tahir Khan, was quoted as saying by Pakistan weekly 'Friday Times'. Khan said as a result of the fresh ban, their business was hit badly. "We were expecting the ban would be officially lifted because of the positive developments. Instead, the opposite has happened," he said.
Bureau Report
The fresh directive by PEMRA has come a surprise to COAP as the official body had earlier agreed to the pleas of Coap to allow them to show Indian entertainment channels, while continuing the ban on Indian news channels. PEMRA had agreed to permit showing of entertainment channels after COAP lobbied hard with the government stating that their business was badly hit by the ban on Indian channels.
But much to the surprise of COAP, PEMRA again clamped a ban despite the on-going process of normalisation of ties.
"PEMRA has warned us of stern action if we show Indian entertainment channels. We are back to square one," vice president of COAP, Tahir Khan, was quoted as saying by Pakistan weekly 'Friday Times'. Khan said as a result of the fresh ban, their business was hit badly. "We were expecting the ban would be officially lifted because of the positive developments. Instead, the opposite has happened," he said.
Bureau Report