Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) was put on notice for June 4 by a Division Bench of Sindh High Court (SHC) comprising Justice Yasmeen Abbasey and Justice Dr Rana.M.Shamim in a petition filed by Financial Broadcasting Service (Pvt) Ltd here on Friday.
The petitioner maintained that in 1999, Pemra invited Expression of Interest for grant of license to operate FM radio channels in Karachi, Faisalabad, Hyderabad and Peshawar. The petitioner participated in the bidding and won the bid for Karachi and Peshawar against a fee of rupees 10,400,000 and 2,000,000 respectively and paid the 15 percent earnest bid money.
The petitioner maintained that when the company approached the respondent it was said that due to security clearance of the company and its partners, issuance is being delayed but the matter was settled after pursuing matter with the Interior Ministry.
After a considerable delay in October 2006, respondent (Pemra) informed us that approval for grant of license has been withdrawn on ground that " license slot has already exhausted."