The Karachi Electric Supply Corporation (KESC) decided to dismantle the cable network of unauthorised cable operators working without proper approval, selling cable television facilities in different residential and commercial areas using electricity poles and direct power connections, within 15 days. According to a press release, the KESC spokesman said here on Friday the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) head of cable television (CTV)-Policy Wing Brigadier Shakeel Ahmed (Retd) held a meeting with the KESC managing director Brigadier Tariq Saddozai and other senior officials for the implementation of Cable TV Operations Regulations 2002.
Pemra officials were informed the KESC has completed record of the city CTV providers and also identified such networks, which were directly using the power from the line. Pemra officials informed such businesses needed proper license from the authority.
Pemra officials further informed that out of the list of 131 CTV dealers, identified by KESC, most of them were not licensee of the authority, hence KESC should remove their networks from the electricity poles.
The authority were seeking support of the power utility under article No 27 of Pemra (Cable TV Operators) Regulations-2002; State Agencies to Assist Authority in Enforcement: "All the field officers of local administration, police, civil armed forces and all officers involved in collection of land revenue shall assist the designated officers of the authority in the discharge of their functions, relating to the enforcement under the provisions of the ordinance and rules and regulations made there under".
Keeping in view the increased number of wire snapping cases due to the lopsided hanging of the CTV cables on electricity poles causing localised faults, KESC management decided to remove the cable lines of unlicensed CTV dealers from all over the city.
Henceforth, the CTV operators conforming to rules and prescribed method of putting up the cable would be allowed to use the electric poles, the KESC spokesman said.