ISLAMABAD, Sept 9: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Friday decided to start the fourth phase of FM radio broadcasting stations in smaller cities and towns. The authority also approved to grant the licences for the establishment of Direct-To-Home (DTH) Service in the country shortly. The Expression of Interests (EoIs) would be invited from the interested parties soon.

These decisions were made in the 33rd meeting of Pemra, which was presided over by Iftikhar Rashid.

The meeting discussed a number of issues relating to electronic media and also decided that the EoIs would be invited through media for the introduction of Internet Protocol Television Technology in the country. “It would enable increase in new services such as pay-per-view, video-on-demand, e-commerce and internet as well as increase in a number of channels on offer basis,” it said.

The authority also approved the grant of licences for the establishment of FM radio stations in the AJK and the Northern Areas.

The Pemra meeting was also attended by Secretary Interior Syed Kamal Shah, Information Ministry additional secretary Ahsan Yousaf, Member Pemra Dr Seemi Naghmana Tahir, Pakistan Telecommunication Authority Director-General Ahsan Jafferi and the authority’s executive member Shahid Shamim.