By Sarmad Ali
(Pak Destiny) Pakistan is all set to plug off Indian channels in the country. If managed to implement its decision over 50 Indian channels from local cable will be plugged off while those over 100 routing through DTH will also be no more.
In a tit for tat response, Pakistan has made it clear on India that — the amount of airtime for Indian content in Pakistan will mimic the format India has adopted for the airing of Pakistani content.
The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has announced the government has been requested to make airing of the Indian content conditional with that of Pakistan’s content being aired in India.
“Policies made during the General (retd) Pervez Musharraf regime will have no legal standing, which will benefit the Pakistan industry grow. From October 15, the body will take action against airing of all unauthorised content and TV channels in the country,” it said.
Last month, Pemra said it would launch a crackdown on the illegal Indian DTH and airing of excessive foreign content by TV channels and cable operators.
“Around three million Indian DTH decoders are being sold in the country. We not only want this sale stopped but will also ask the relevant agencies to trace the money trail to determine the mode of payments made to Indian dealers selling these decoders to Pakistanis,” Pemra said. said.
All stakeholders, including cable operators and the Pakistan Broadcasters Association, had been forewarned that steps would be initiated in near future against the airing of excessive foreign content. Pak Destiny