ISLAMABAD - The Pakistan Electronic Media Regularity Authority (Pemra) has shortlisted 12 companies for bidding of Direct to Home (DTH) service licences.
Talking to the media, Pemra Chairman Absar Alam said the body’s 121st meeting was informed on Monday that 12 companies, of the 16, have been shortlisted for participation in the DTH bidding. He said that the bidding would be held on November 23.
The 12 shortlisted companies included M/s Orient Electronics Pvt Ltd, Lahore; M/s Mag Entertainment Pvt Ltd, Lahore; M/s Skyflix (Pvt), Ltd, Islamabad; M/s Startimes Communications Pvt Ltd, Islamabad; M/s Sardar Builders Pvt Ltd, Islamabad; M/s Smart Sky Pvt Ltd, Islamabad; M/s Parus Media & Broadcast Pvt Ltd, Islamabad; M/. Naya Tel (Pvt) Ltd, Islamabad; M/s Mastro Media Distribution (Pvt) Ltd, Islamabad; M/s Shahzad Sky (Pvt) Ltd Islamabad; M/s HB DTH Pvt Ltd Islamabad and M/s IQ Communication Pvt Ltd Karachi.
He said the firms had been shortlisted on merit in the presence of representatives of all the stakeholders.
Alam said the authority unanimously took the decision to award FM radio licences to single bidders and section 19 will be invoked which gives the Pemra the exclusive rights to grant licences.
Earlier , Pemra Chairman, Secretary Ministry of Interior Arif Ahmad Khan, Chairman FBR Nisar Mohammad Khan, Chairman PTA Dr Ismail Shah, Shaheen Habibullah (member Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa) and Nargis Nasir (member Punjab) attended the meeting.
Meanwhile, Cable Operators Association Chairman Khalid Arain asked the Pemra to stop bidding of DTH licences for at least two years.
Talking to the media outside Pemra headquarters, he warned the Pemra that if it did not stop the bidding of the DTH licences, the cable operators will stage a protest across the country. He demanded that the Pemra take action against those selling Indian DTH in Pakistan.
He claimed the Pemra has started the bidding process for DTH licences only to give favour to government’s blue-eyed companies.