No plan to ban YouTube channels, clarifies PEMRA chairman

ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) chairman on Thursday clarified that they are not planning to ban any YouTube channel, ARY News reported.

Talking to media in Islamabad, chairman Mirza Aslam Baig said that PEMRA has only sought suggestions for the regulation of YouTube channels. He said that PEMRA was working on new channels license, which will be completed in three to four months.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Friday refuted the news stories published in a section of press on draft consultation on regulating the Web TV and Over the Top TV (OTT) Content Services in Pakistan.

In a rebuttal issued by Pemra to the news items published, the Pemra claimed that in the news reports it was alleged that through the Draft Consultation on Regulating the Web TV & Over the Top TV (OTT) Content Services in Pakistan, Pemra intends to curtail the freedom of speech and to gag voices.

The allegation is totally denied. The objective for the consultation on regulating Web TV & Over the Top TV Content Services is elaborated in Section 1.2 of the Consultation Paper wherein it has been elaborated that the extensive growth of the web TV and OTT market and the excessive disruption of these services to traditional broadcast services have made regulators vigilant all over the world