ISLAMABAD, Nov 17: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) said on Monday it had taken serious notice of ‘suspension of the distribution’ of its licenced channels, Geo News and ARY OneWorld, on cable TV networks in Karachi and some areas of interior Sindh.

In a press release, the authority claimed it had got the transmission restored immediately and taken prompt action against the ‘defaulting cable operators’.

Show-cause notices have been issued to them and an investigation is under way.

“This is to assure all concerned that the authority shall ensure strict legal action against the violators,” Pemra said.

According to the TV channels, their transmissions were suspended for several hours by the cable operators because of unknown reasons.

Meanwhile, the Pakistan Federal Union of Journalists has expressed deep concern over disruption of the transmission of the channels in Sindh and threats to journalists in Quetta and expressed fears about serious attacks on freedom of the press, from the government as well as “non-state actors”.

“In the last few days media has come under serious attack,” the PFUJ said in a statement.

“It appears there is no writ of the government in Sindh, as both the ruling coalition parties denied their involvement and yet cable operators could not air the channels,” it said.

The question is if they had not ordered it then who had. It is the responsibility of the government to order cable operators to identify the elements behind the action.

“If Pemra has no control it should be disbanded”.

The PFUJ referred to a news report in Daily Times and Aaj Kal about a threatening letter from the information cell of the Baloch Liberation Army (BLA) received by their Quetta bureau.

“If the threat is from the BLA, as stated in the letter it’s very serious as in the past the group had claimed responsibility for killing Quetta-based journalist Chishti Mujahid,” it said.