ISLAMABAD, Jan 23: The government on Wednesday granted licences to 12 more private television channels, raising the total number of TV channels operating in the country to 48.

There are 80 on-air channels in the country if networks with landing rights are also considered. About 106 FM radio channels are also operating under licence.

The channels which were awarded licences include the first Balochi channel, Sabz Baat, and Mehran, Dharti (both Sindhi channels), Royal (it already had landing rights and now it will operate from Lahore), Dunya, Jinnah (owned by the developer of the Bahria Town Malik Riaz) and the recently-launched Express News.

Aaj, Punjab and Star Asia, KTN and Kashish, which have been operating for some time, were awarded licences to operate on a regular basis.

Speaking as chief guest at the licence awarding ceremony federal Minister of Information and Broadcasting Senator Nisar A. Memon said: “Pakistani media is entering a new political phase. This major initiative of opening up of media is based on the vision of President Pervez Musharraf, pronounced under the Pemra Ordinance of 2002. The government is promoting a policy of media freedom in the spirit of democracy.”