KARACHI, Aug 18: The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) forced cable operators in the city to switch off their networks on Thursday in their attempt to persuade people to come out of their homes for casting votes, claimed the Cable Operators Association of Pakistan.

Sources in the association told Dawn on Thursday that they had received unequivocal “directives” from the MQM sector-in-charges to switch off their networks from around 12.30pm to 4.30pm.

“Their logic was that if cable TV remained on, voters would stay indoors and spend the election day as a holiday. We had no choice but to comply with their directives,” sources said.

They added that in addition to Karachi, cable TV networks in many localities of Hyderabad and Mirpurkhas also remained off-air.

According to the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA), there are 285 licensed cable TV operators in Karachi.

The number of licensed cable TV operators in Sindh is a little over 500.