ISLAMABAD, March 27: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) is likely to withdraw its petition filed in the Supreme Court against the consent orders of Sindh High Court (SHC) for the grant of licence to Pakistan Herald Publications (Pvt) Limited (PHPL) to establish a satellite television broadcast station.

According to PHPL’s counsel Munir A. Malik, the petition will be withdrawn on Wednesday during hearing of the case by a two-member bench comprising Justice Nawaz Abbasi and Justice Raja Fayyaz.

In the petition Pemra had taken the view that under its Rule 17(5) it could not grant cross-ownership licence to the PHPL.

Meanwhile, Pemra has provided the uplinking facility to another private TV channel (Aaj).

In the SHC, the PHPL had filed a constitutional petition against the Federation of Pakistan and the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) in Karachi, challenging the qualifications prescribed for eligible applicants for the grant of a licence to establish satellite television broadcast station.

The PHPL has contended that the constitutional right of freedom of the press does not permit Pemra to deny a broadcast licence for the sole reason that the applicants are owners or publishers of print media.

The petition maintains that Pemra’s rules prescribing such a requirement are in conflict with the Pemra Ordinance itself.