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Tag: Pemra

  • Indian DTH equipments worth Rs 7.83 cr seized by Pakistan authorities

    Indian DTH equipments worth Rs 7.83 cr seized by Pakistan authorities

    MUMBAI: Pakistan authorities have seized a large quantity of smuggled Indian direct-to-home (DTH) equipment worth Rs 7.83 crore from various markets in a countrywide crackdown against illegal devices according to a report published by dawn.com. The report, in line with a suo motu case relating to easy availability of Indian DTH or magic box in the Pakistani market, was submitted to the Supreme Court on Wednesday.

    The Customs Department and the Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) arrested 39 people and 30 FIRs had been lodged during the crackdown and was informed to a two-judge bench headed by Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan.

    The report was furnished before the apex court through Additional Attorney General Nayyar Abbas Rizvi, stating that the nationwide enforcement operations has ended the commercial sale and availability of smuggled DTH equipment in the local markets.

    The apex court had constituted a committee during the last hearing, which consists of member (customs), the FIA's additional director general and a member of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) to find out the source of smuggled goods and to take steps to curb the smuggling.

    The report recalled that the Federal Board of Revenue (FBR) has also enhanced enforcement measures adopted by the customs field formations which resulted in seizures of goods and other contraband items, including DTH equipment worth Rs 2480 crore during 2017-18.

    However, the report conceded that mere enforcement measures would not be sufficient to completely root out the transportation or availability of DTH equipment used for illegal broadcasting of Indian content in the country. Therefore, a holistic strategy needs to be worked out by all agencies/regulators to address this issue.

    The report pointed out that, in the absence of local DTH, the subscribers were opting for other illegal means, which include Indian DTH services. However, the report called for support from the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority for blocking the internet protocols addresses of the websites which were either running the illegal C-Line/CC-CAM or advertising the illegal Indian DTH in Pakistan. 

  • Lahore HC lifts PEMRA ban on Indian TV shows

    MUMBAI: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday cancelled a ban imposed by PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) on the telecast of Indian television shows in Pakistan. THe HC stated that the federal government had no objection to the Indian television programmes.

    HC chief justice Mansoor Ali Shah said that the Indian content with anti-Pakistan or objectionable content could be censored but there was no requirement for a complete ban, IANS reported. Justice Shah observed that the world had become a global village.

    The petition questing the PEMRA ban had contended that imposing a ban was outside the powers of the regulatory body and the Pakistani constitution. Even though Indian movies were allowed to be screened all over Pakistan, the same could not be shown on television, the petitioner had stated, also claiming that the Pakistani government was involved in “selective patriotism”. The petitioner’s counsel Asma Jehangir argued that the ban on Indian teleplays seemed to be strange when Indian films were being free telecast.

    Although the ban on the telecast of Indian films was done away with in February 2017, approval to air television dramas or teleplays was not granted.

    Also Read:

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    PEMRA petition in DTH case admitted in Pak SC

    Pakistan gets tough on Indian DTH & content

  • PEMRA petition in DTH case admitted in Pak SC

    MUMBAI: The apex court of Pakistan on Thursday admitted for hearing an appeal filed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority challenging a Lahore High Court order of 28 December 2016, that had set aside PEMRA regulations prohibiting television broadcasters from entering the Direct to Home (DTH) market.

    SC’s five-judge bench headed by Justice Gulzar Ahmed granted leave to appeal after hearing the arguments of PEMRA counsel Salman Akram Raja, the Dawn reported.

    Advocate Raja argued that Pakistan’s television broadcast market is dominated by 10 television channels out of a total of 90, in terms of market share and advertising revenue. On 24 November, 2016, PEMRA had auctioned three DTH licences for PKR 14.69 billion with the aim of stopping the proliferation of ‘illegal’ Indian DTH broadcasts which were causing an annual loss of billions of rupees to the national exchequer. The highest bid was raised by Mag Entertainment for PKR 4.91 billion, respectively followed by M/s. Shahzad Sky for PKR 4.90 billion and M/s. Star Time for Rs 4.89 billion. PEMRA had issued non-exclusive licences for 15 years to the three companies.

    PEMRA argued that if the broadcasters were to be allowed to enter the DTH market, one or more of the larger broadcast channels would end up controlling the distribution of the content while monopolising one-third or more.

    Earlier, the Lahore High Court has requested PEMRA to start the bidding process for direct-to-home (DTH) licences again, after it declared the auction void.

    Pakistani DTH services would have countered the sale of Indian DTH services in Pakistan, which leads to annual transfer of between US$ 200 million to US$ 350 million to India on account of subscription fee.

    Also read:

    Pak DTH: Mag, Shahzad & Star Time to start ops in a year

    Pakistan gets tough on Indian DTH & content

    Pak DTH licence bidding stayed

  • Notices to several Pak TV channels for ‘violations’

    MUMBAI: Freedom of speech is being curtailed in the sub-continent. Media watchdog Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has issued show-cause notices to nine channels — Waqt TV, Ab Tak TV, Channel 5, 7 News, Aaj TV, Sach TV, Roze TV, News One and Capital TV — for airing ‘fake news’ between 8.00pm and 9.00pm on 22 March about a plane crash in Kallar Syedan near Rawalpindi. The channels have been asked to respond by 31 March.

    PEMRA has also issued a notice to ARY News, a private channel, for airing “hate speech” against the country’s prime minister Nawaz Sharif asking it to respond by the same date. The regulator has the powers to ban the channel’s ‘offensive’ programme, cancel its operating licence and impose a fine of a million rupees.

    Also, PEMRA issued a separate notice to Dawn News TV for failing to comply with its decision to suspend Zara Hat Kay talk show for three days. The host on 9 March had discussed a corruption case against Justice Shaukat Aziz Siddiqui despite a case being sub-judice. This act of violating the Authority’s order is tantamount to willful defiance and the Authority has directed the channel’s management to explain within three days i.e. before or on 27 March before 4.00pm why it defied.

    According to the ‘hate speech’ details, a guest speaker, who appeared on ‘The Reporter’, a programme on ARY on Thursday, termed a recent statement of Sharif as “blasphemous”.

    PEMRA said it was a dangerous trend. The hosts of the programme neither intervened on this occasion nor stopped him from passing such comments, which was a violation of PEMRA Code of Conduct 2015.

    In a separate case, PEMRA had informed the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA) on 17 February to amend the advertisement of “Zong 4G” till 20 February before 6 pm;  otherwise, PEMRA under Section 27 of PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended by PEMRA (Amendment) Act 2007 shall prohibit the said advertisement forthwith.

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  • Court permits private Pak channels to show Indian films

    MUMBAI: A Pakistani court has permitted private television channels having valid licences to show Indian movies as per their conditions of agreement with Pakistan’s regulator. In its October 2016 order, PEMRA had banned Pakistani private channels being operated through cable network from airing the Indian content.

    According to PTI, the Lahore High Court chief justice Syed Mansoor Ali Shah yesterday permitted private television channels in the light of the report put by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) before the court.

    Shah passed the interim order on a petition that was filed by Leo Communication challenging the ban on telecast of Indian content on cable television network. Channels, the report stated, could be allowed to run Indian films as per clause 7.2 (ii) of License Establish & Operate Satellite TV Broadcast Channel Station.

    Petitioner’s counsel Taffazul Rizvi argued that the channels should also be allowed to telecast Indian plays as they also come under the definition of ‘entertainment’ under the licence agreement with PEMRA. A PEMRA law officer contended, seeking time to establish that ‘entertainment’ does not include ‘Indian plays’. He said the channels were allowed to run Indian films as per terms of their licence agreements with PEMRA.

    When Indian movies were being screened in cinemas in Pakistan, Justice Shah had earlier observed, what justification the government/PEMRA had to ban them on TV. The court then adjourned the hearing till 2 March.

    Also Read:

    Bleeding Pak theatres may become ‘Raees’ again

    Pakistan gets tough on Indian DTH & content

    PEMRA raids DTH & cable operators showing Indian content

    Cable TV suspended in parts of Pakistan; Senate okays DTH plan

  • PEMRA raids DTH & cable operators showing Indian content

    MUMBAI: A PEMRA team has seized illegal hardware and apparatus of DTH and Cline cable network from various electronics shops in Silanwali (Sargodha), Pakistan, and raided DTH re-broadcasters and viewers who are watching or distributing Indian TV channels.

    Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority assistant general manager Malik Qasim Nawaz said the government had banned foreign channels and dish antenna, the News International reported. Nawaz added that the raids would continue and action would be taken against electronic shops and cable operators for allegedly violating government policies.

    The Sindh High Court earlier vacated its interim order regarding suspension of PEMRA’s ban on Amir Liaquat Hussain’s private TV programme and directed that PEMRA’s order would shall remain in force as per the apex court directive. PEMRA had submitted that it had received hundreds of complaints against the petitioner anchorperson for virulent hate speech during the period — 2 January to 24.

    A senior lawyer of the apex court earlier refused to further represent the Sindh provincial government in a case pertaining to the appointment of advisers for the chief minister Murad Ali Shah.

    Former attorney general Makhdom Ali Khan who was representing the province in the instant matter in private capacity recused himself in view of the Supreme Court verdict taking exception to the practice of federal and provincial departments of hiring services of private lawyers in various cases and paying hefty sums from the national exchequer as their fees.

    Also Read-

    PEMRA announces DTH licence bidders; Indian DTH eviction to continue

    Cancel DTH licence auction, cable operators urge PEMRA

    “Let India open its market, we will open ours” – PEMRA chairman Absar Alam

  • Bleeding Pak theatres may become ‘Raees’ again

    Bleeding Pak theatres may become ‘Raees’ again

    MUMBAI: Four months after Pakistan stopped screening Hindi films in its cinemas responding to Bollywood’s unofficial ban on Pakistani artistes following the Uri attack, Pakistan is again attempting to allow screening as theatre-owners are bleeding financially.

    PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) had then banned Indian TV channels and entertainment programmes and cinema hall owners decided not to screen Bollywood films, the Times of India reported.

    Pakistan’s prime minister Nawaz Sharif has constituted a panel to consider a request by distributors and theatre-owners to resume the import of Bollywood films. Distributors are hoping to get the permission before SRK’s ‘Raees’ releases on 25 January.

    The Sharif committee is headed by minister of state for information Maryum Aurangzeb and includes the secretary of commerce, advisor to the PM on national history and literary heritage and a representative of ISI.

    Films from India are in the list of items banned in Pakistan. But, the commerce ministry, under the import policy order, had issued NOCs (no-objection certificates) at per information ministry request thus allowing the import of 2-3 Indian films each month.

    Sources told the Hindu that business in cinema halls in Pakistan was down after the unofficial ban on Indian movies and revenues had fallen up to 75 per cent in some theatres. Around 50 per cent of workers in halls lost their jobs. Bollywood films are also widely available through pirated DVDs in Pakistan.

    Atrium Cinema owner in Karachi Nadeem Mandviwalla had earlier said that 70 per cent of their business comes from Bollywood and Hollywood. He said that they could only survive a temporary suspension, and not a continued one.

    Also Read :

    Pak theatres showing Indian films again

    States may decide Pak artistes films fate

    Pakistan gets tough on Indian DTH & content

  • Bleeding Pak theatres may become ‘Raees’ again

    Bleeding Pak theatres may become ‘Raees’ again

    MUMBAI: Four months after Pakistan stopped screening Hindi films in its cinemas responding to Bollywood’s unofficial ban on Pakistani artistes following the Uri attack, Pakistan is again attempting to allow screening as theatre-owners are bleeding financially.

    PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) had then banned Indian TV channels and entertainment programmes and cinema hall owners decided not to screen Bollywood films, the Times of India reported.

    Pakistan’s prime minister Nawaz Sharif has constituted a panel to consider a request by distributors and theatre-owners to resume the import of Bollywood films. Distributors are hoping to get the permission before SRK’s ‘Raees’ releases on 25 January.

    The Sharif committee is headed by minister of state for information Maryum Aurangzeb and includes the secretary of commerce, advisor to the PM on national history and literary heritage and a representative of ISI.

    Films from India are in the list of items banned in Pakistan. But, the commerce ministry, under the import policy order, had issued NOCs (no-objection certificates) at per information ministry request thus allowing the import of 2-3 Indian films each month.

    Sources told the Hindu that business in cinema halls in Pakistan was down after the unofficial ban on Indian movies and revenues had fallen up to 75 per cent in some theatres. Around 50 per cent of workers in halls lost their jobs. Bollywood films are also widely available through pirated DVDs in Pakistan.

    Atrium Cinema owner in Karachi Nadeem Mandviwalla had earlier said that 70 per cent of their business comes from Bollywood and Hollywood. He said that they could only survive a temporary suspension, and not a continued one.

    Also Read :

    Pak theatres showing Indian films again

    States may decide Pak artistes films fate

    Pakistan gets tough on Indian DTH & content

  • Broadcasters can now bid for new Pak DTH licence auction

    Broadcasters can now bid for new Pak DTH licence auction

    MUMBAI: The Lahore High Court has requested PEMRA, Pakistan’s broadcast regulatory body, to start the bidding process for direct-to-home (DTH) licences again, after it declared the recent auction void that must be reheld. PEMRA is considering challenging the order in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, local newspapers reported.

    With the new order, broadcasters such as ARY and GEO will now be able to bid to operate DTH satellite TV services in the country.

    Three direct-to-home (DTH) licences in Pakistan were on 23 November awarded for a total of PKR 14.694 billion (USD 140 million). The highest bid was raised by Mag Entertainment for PKR 4.91 billion, respectively followed by M/s. Shahzad Sky for PKR 4.90 billion and M/s. Star Time for Rs 4.89 billion. PEMRA had issued non-exclusive licences for 15 years to the three companies.

    PEMRA chairman Absar Alam had said the DTH service would not end the cable operators’ business, but would compel them to invest in technology and distribution systems.
    The auction barred broadcasters from bidding owing to what was believed to be a conflict of interest. The court however said the restriction was based on an assumption that any vertical integration between broadcast media and distribution services would result in undue concentration of ownership.

    Pakistani DTH services would have countered the sale of illegal Indian DTH services in Pakistan, which leads to annual transfer of between US$ 200 million to US$ 350 million to India on account of subscription fee.

    Also Read: Pak DTH: Mag, Shahzad & Star Time to start ops in a year

    Pakistan gets tough on Indian DTH & content

    Pak DTH licence bidding stayed

     

  • Broadcasters can now bid for new Pak DTH licence auction

    Broadcasters can now bid for new Pak DTH licence auction

    MUMBAI: The Lahore High Court has requested PEMRA, Pakistan’s broadcast regulatory body, to start the bidding process for direct-to-home (DTH) licences again, after it declared the recent auction void that must be reheld. PEMRA is considering challenging the order in the Supreme Court of Pakistan, local newspapers reported.

    With the new order, broadcasters such as ARY and GEO will now be able to bid to operate DTH satellite TV services in the country.

    Three direct-to-home (DTH) licences in Pakistan were on 23 November awarded for a total of PKR 14.694 billion (USD 140 million). The highest bid was raised by Mag Entertainment for PKR 4.91 billion, respectively followed by M/s. Shahzad Sky for PKR 4.90 billion and M/s. Star Time for Rs 4.89 billion. PEMRA had issued non-exclusive licences for 15 years to the three companies.

    PEMRA chairman Absar Alam had said the DTH service would not end the cable operators’ business, but would compel them to invest in technology and distribution systems.
    The auction barred broadcasters from bidding owing to what was believed to be a conflict of interest. The court however said the restriction was based on an assumption that any vertical integration between broadcast media and distribution services would result in undue concentration of ownership.

    Pakistani DTH services would have countered the sale of illegal Indian DTH services in Pakistan, which leads to annual transfer of between US$ 200 million to US$ 350 million to India on account of subscription fee.

    Also Read: Pak DTH: Mag, Shahzad & Star Time to start ops in a year

    Pakistan gets tough on Indian DTH & content

    Pak DTH licence bidding stayed