New amendments to laws are being introduced to enhance powers of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) to effectively check the wrong doings of cable operators. Pemra Chairman Iftikhar Rashid on Thursday stated this at a meeting with electronic media persons at Pemra's regional office here. He said the standing committee of the National Assembly has already approved the amendments to the laws related to Pemra, and hoped that it would be presented before the National Assembly in its next siting.
All loop-holes in the existing laws, the main reason of violation of code of conduct by the cable operators, have been covered up in the proposed amendments, he elaborated.
The amendment would give powers to Pemra officials for seizing all equipment and machinery of cable operator in case they do not abide by the law, he said, and assured that there would be no harassment for law-abiding cable operators.
"We would use the new powers to control vulgarity, release of unauthorised advertisements and other complaints against the cable operators after getting new powers", said the Pemra chief.
He said that problems faced by his administration in recovering amount of fines and effective implementation of other punishments against the cable networks would be redressed through the amendments.
"Pemra recovered Rs 325,000 as fine from the violators in past three years against millions of rupees which were imposed during the said period just because of in-effective recovery mechanism", he said.
The Pemra chief advised the cable operators who have set up their offices in residential areas, to shift the same to commercial areas as per requirement of the law.
He said the Authority is working on two-fold strategy to promote healthy recreational facilities and work for growth of good media.
To a question, Iftikhar Rashid assured that the permission for operating new TV channels would be given keeping in view the requirements of public.
Earlier, the representatives of different media channels apprised the Pemra chief of their problems, which he assured to be redressed soon.
The Pemra chief said that media channels must keep in view the national interests and public feelings while airing their programmes, adding the Authority would not give any concession in this regard.