PEMRA unable to issue TV licences before Dec
ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) will not be able to issue even a single licence for private television channel due to non-completion of procedural formalities before the next civilian government is in place, it is reliably learnt.
The PEMRA will require at least four months to complete the formalities, procedural and others, even if it initiates the process today. The PEMRA may invite applications for private television channels around the end of September, an official told The News. After that, it will require at least three months to scrutinise the licence requests and complete other formalities before giving permission, he said.
However, the PEMRA is expected to issue more than one licence for private radio station before the next civilian set-up is installed as a consequence of the October elections. The authority scrutinised all the 67 applications for radio stations on Thursday and rejected half a dozen requests for having been made by individuals, the official said. The PEMRA is issuing special forms to the rest of the applicants, which are private sector companies. It will now carry out their pre-qualification after getting their clearance from the security agencies. The entire process is expected to be completed by September 30.
Even after the issuance of licences, most of these companies will require time to physically set up the radio stations because they would import the required equipment only after getting the permission. The PEMRA had invited these applications around June. The PEMRA would start the proceedings for issuance of licences for private television channels only after it is through with the process of grant of licences for radio stations.
Source: The News
Date:8/10/2002
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