ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday allowed the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to issue licences to 58 new TV channels.

IHC Justice Athar Minallah while disposing of the petition filed by Pakistan Broadcasting Association (PBA) gave a go-ahead to Pemra to complete the process of issuance of licences to 58 satellite TV channels including eight news and current affairs channels while protecting the rights of the existing television operators.

Earlier, PBA’s counsel Faisal Siddiqui adopted before the court that while there was a space for only 80 channels in the system, Pemra had already issued licences for 119 channels.

He said an application of PBA seeking moratorium on issuance of new licences had already been dismissed by Pemra.

Pemra defended issuance of new satellite television licences and requested the Islamabad High Court (IHC) to dismiss the PBA petition.

In the written report Pemra filed before the IHC on Wednesday, the authority stated that PBA filed the petition without realising that process of grant of licence and its operation was entirely controlled on the principle of free market forces, fair competition.

It said issuance of licence depended upon the market potential, which was being substantiated by the fact that more than 180 entities had applied for satellite television channels’ licences.

The report said that Pemra’s consultant has recommended establishment of 250 channels for Direct to Home Television (DTH) technology operations.

It said that at present there are “only 123 licensed (local and foreign) TV channels are available in Pakistan thus there is still vacuum of about 127 TV channels which regulator has to consider making digital distribution services a success.

Subsequent to the court orders, Pemra issued a statement, saying that establishment of new TV channels would not only attract investment but it would create employment opportunities as well.

Published in Dawn, July 2nd, 2019