According to a PEMRA press release, the authority has learnt that certain illegal and proscribed channels are being run by cable TV operators in Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan, Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa, AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan, despite repeated warnings issued by the authority.

As per PEMRA laws and policies, relaying illegal satellite TV channels and excessive CD channels beyond the permitted limit, showing Indian movies on cable networks is an illegal activity and a peril to the society.

Moreover, relaying illegal channel and movies on cable TV networks is deemed as the main source of content piracy and requires steps by the authority to stop such irregularities.

PEMRA being a regulatory authority, takes these violations seriously and undertakes concrete steps to address these instances.

During a routine enforcement drive, gadgets of most of the cable TV operators were partially seized, while, some cable networks were completely seized by PEMRA inspection teams.

PEMRA also impounded illegal DTH (Sahara, TATA Sky, BIG TV and Dish TV) which were installed by cable TV operators for the purpose of distributing illegal channels through their respective networks in the cities of Karachi, Hyderabad, Sukkur,

Larkana, Bahawalpur, Multan, Okara, Sahiwal, Kasur, Faisalabad, Sialkot, Gujranwala, Gujrat, Jehlum, Rawalpindi, Islamabad, Abbottabad, D.I.Khan, Sargodha, Peshawar, Mirpur, Gilgit and other areas.

PEMRA had time and again warned cable TV operators across the country to observe the law. Moreover, public notices were also published in the print media from time to time on this issue mentioning a list of

eligible satellite TV channels to be strictly followed by all cable TV networks.
The press release further stated that a large number of public complaints against cable operators for airing proscribed and  illegal satellite TV channels, prompted PEMRA to initiate such a crackdown.

Copyright PPI (Pakistan Press International), 2011