ABDUL RASHEED AZAD

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) has shortlisted 12 companies to participate in bidding process for Direct to Home (DTH) service licences, which will be held on Nov 23.

This was stated by Chairman PEMRA Absar Alam while addressing a press conference here on Monday after the 12th meeting of the Authority.

Alam said the shortlisted companies will be called for a bidding process to be held on November 23. The Chairman PEMRA added that shortlisting of a company would not guarantee DTH licence for it. The licence will be granted to the successful bidders only after fulfilment of all legal requirements, approval of the Authority and payment of requisite fees and taxes, he added.

He said as many as 16 companies had applied for the licence and the Authority in the first step selected the following 12 applicants: M/s. Orient Electronics (Pvt.) Ltd. Lahore; M/s. Mag Entertainment (Pvt.) Ltd. Lahore; M/s. Skyflix (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad; M/s. Startimes Communications (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad; M/s. Sardar Builders (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad; M/s. Smart Sky (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad; M/s. Parus Media & Broadcast (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad; M/s. Naya Tel (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad; M/s. Mastro Media Distribution (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad; M/s. Shahzad Sky (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad; M/s. HB DTH (Pvt.) Ltd. Islamabad; and M/s. IQ Communication (Pvt.) Ltd. Karachi

The Authority unanimously took the decision to award FM radio licences to single bidders and section 19 will be invoked which gives the Authority exclusive rights to grant licences, he added. The Chairman Pemra appreciated the law-enforcement agencies for taking a timely action against illegal Indian DTH and eradicating this menace from the country.

Besides the Chairman PEMRA Absar Alam, Secretary Ministry of Interior Arif Ahmad Khan, Chairman FBR Nisar Mohammad Khan, Chairman PTA Dr Ismail Shah, Shaheen Habibullah (Member Khyber Pakhtunkhawa) and Nargis Nasir (Member Punjab) were also present in the meeting.