Lahore High Court has issued a stay order on DTH bidding

LAHORE ( MEDIA REPORT )

Lahore High Court has issued a stay order on tomorrow’s DTH bidding that PEMRA had planned to hold for awarding three DTH licences in Pakistan.

Reports are suggesting that Lahore High Court issued the stay order as it reserved a verdict in the case and asked the concerned authorities to put a hold on tomorrow’s auction.

Cable Operators Association and their supporters, on the other hands, are opposing DTH auction by saying that DTH auction will kill their business and that this auction should be delayed by at least two years.

The cable operators say that making DTH legal will affect their business and livelihoods negatively and that PEMRA, the electronic media watchdog, didn’t take them into confidence before finalizing DTH auction.

After shutting down cable TV services for over 24 hours, they were reinstated just moments ago.

Absar Alam, while speaking with media and asked about LHC’s decision, said that PEMRA had not yet received the copy of the short order.

A Supreme Court order, he added, was already in place in which Justice Saqib Nisar had given directives that the process for the DTH would not stop.

Under the light of the apex court orders, bidding for the auction of three DTH licenses would go ahead as per schedule tomorrow (Wednesday), he added.