ARY writes to PEMRA about mishandling of news channel in Punjab

ARY News wrote to Chairman PEMRA Absar Alam to inform him that position of ARY News channel was repeatedly being changed in the most populous province of Pakistan and sometimes it is muted or completely shut down. Its sporadic and intermittent transmission was affecting the viewership.

The complaint letter asked PEMRA to restore ARY News as well in Punjab as it had used section 33A to ask help from prime minister to restore GEO News in Sindh.

 

“We would like to appreciate the authority’s prompt response and swift action taken for restoration of position of GEO News at various cable TV distribution services in Sindh under the powers vested in you by the PEMRA ordinance 2002 by seeking immediate assistance from the federal government to take action under PEMRA laws by invoking section 33A of the ordinance,” said the letter.

ARY group has asked PEMRA to help restore the channel likewise in Punjab.

“We humbly request the authority to intervene in the situation by invoking the section 33A of the PEMRA ordinance and ask the federal government to instruct Punjab Rangers, police, intelligence agencies and other provincial law and enforcement agencies to restore ARY News at its original position and make sure that it remains stable as well,” the letter added.

The letter said since last two years cable operators in Punjab were continuously changing the channel’s positions practically making it inaccessible to the population at large which was not just affecting ratings of the channel but revenue as well.

ARY News also requested the regulatory authority to look into the matter of Pakistan Muslim League-N’s boycotting of ARY.