KARACHI, Aug 22: The cable operators of the city are all set to cross swords with the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority over its protectionist policies.

They have decided to go on strike from Aug 24 till Aug 31 in protest against the Pemra decision of re-enforcing the ban on Indian TV channels.

The chairman of the Cable Operators Association of Pakistan, Khalid Shaikh, told Dawn on Friday that Pemra was trying to protect private TV channels and PTV.

He said that during their strike they would not show Geo, ARY Digital, QTV, The Musik, Indus Vision, Indus News, Indus Music, BBC, CNN and Fox News. He added that the cable operators would show only PTV and sports channels.

“Some 19 months ago when the government banned Indian channels citing heightened confrontation along the India-Pakistan border, we welcomed the decision and implemented the ban. But we fail to understand why a ban on Indian channels is being enforced again when there has been talk of a thaw in relations between India and Pakistan?” he wondered.

He said the cable operators did not want to show Indian news channels which spewed venom against Pakistan. “We want to show entertainment channels only. If the government objects to channels showing Indian culture so much, then it should also impose a ban on Geo which shows a music programme conducted by an Indian presenter and in which Indian songs are sung as well as programmes on ARY which also shows Indian songs. By the same logic, a ban should also be imposed on BBC because India purchases two hours on the channel every day and shows its programmes,” he said.

Mr Shaikh said the cable operators have had to bear with the criticism of subscribers, some of whom had discontinued the cable service after the implementation of the ban on Indian channels. “Subscribers, especially women, are upset about the closure of Indian channels. They urge us to violate the ban and show Indian channels. They are not satisfied with the performance of local TV channels,” he said.

Speaking to Dawn from Islamabad, Pemra officials admitted that the ban had been re-enforced to protect and strengthen the domestic television industry.

They added that a few channels had been banned to provide a level playing field to new Pakistani channels.