ISLAMABAD: The Islamabad High Court (IHC) on Monday sought relevant record from the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) in a case challenging issuance of TV licences beyond the capacity.

The court asked PEMRA to also inform in its report about the international practices and whether it had the capacity to telecast more channels.

Chief Justice Athar Minallah issued the directives while hearing a petition filed by the Pakistan Broadcasters Association (PBA).

At the outset of hearing, the chief justice remarked that PEMRA was a regulator and it should not focus only on collecting money. PEMRA’s lawyer, however, requested the court to send the matter again to the Authority.

The PBA’s lawyer said the Authority could conduct a study through an independent consultant regarding its capacity to run TV channels. Currently, he said, PEMRA had an analog distribution system. PEMRA’s counsel said it would be the choice of the customers whether they wanted analog or digitalized subscription. There were more than 1,000 channels in India though they also did not the capacity to run all of them, he added. The lawyer said the Authority was not forcing the consumers to only avail digitalized subscription.

The court sought the relevant record from PEMRA and adjourned hearing till May 13.