March 18, 2003	Tuesday	Muharram 14, 1424

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ISLAMABAD, March 17: Federal Minister for Information and Media Development Sheikh Rashid Ahmed has said the cable TV operators will not be allowed to relay Indian channels.

He was speaking at a seminar on ‘cable TV — a vision for future,’ organized by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra), here on Monday.

He said there wouldn’t be any compromise on national interests and prestige, however, the government would seriously consider the demands of cable TV operators asking for reduction in various taxes levied on business.

The minister said it was matter of great concern for the government which would not allow “Indian channels to spoil younger generation of the country”.

He said, at present, wars were fought through media, especially electronic media was of critical importance in this regard and the information ministry in collaboration with Pemra would make it sure that a selected number of channels be allowed for general public.

Responding to the demands of the cable operators, the minister said, it was encouraging to know that cable TV industry had been flourishing for the last couple of years, therefore, an uphill task was ahead for Pemra to regularize this business after due consultation with the stakeholders concerned.

Unfortunately, he said, in Pakistan whenever some department, be public or private, made some progress, a number of assumed pre-requisites were put in place.