03 | May | 2017 | National News Portal.

The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on Wednesday revoked the satellite television licences granted to Bol News and Bol Entertainment (Pak News) for failing to secure clearance from the interior ministry.

A press release issued by the regulatory authority said its decision comes after the interior ministry denied security clearance to the four directors — Shoaib Shaikh, Ayesha Shoaib Shaikh, Viqas Atiq and Sarwat Bashir — of Messrs Labbaik (Pvt) Ltd, which owns the BOL News channel.

“Bol News and Bol Entertainment (Pak News) have been ordered to surrender the original licences and clear all the outstanding dues,” said the press release.

Pemra took the decision to suspend Bol’s licences in a meeting held at its headquarters on Tuesday, in light of recommendations put forward by the Council of Complaints (CoC) Sindh. The council had given its opinion after hearing Bol News on the matter, the handout said.

ISLAMABAD: All Pakistan Newspapers Employees Confederation (APNEC) and Media Workers Organisation organised a protest march from the Dawn office in Islamabad to the Press Information Department on Tuesday.

Addressing the participants of the march, APNEC secretary general Ikram Bukhari and other speakers decried what they called a move by authorities to curb the freedom of press through administrative means.

Meanwhile, PFUJ will observe the World Press Freedom Day on Wednesday during which journalists across the country will express solidarity with Dawn..PFUJ president Afzal Butt in a statement issued here on Tuesday. He said this year the World Press Freedom Day would be observed as the ‘Press Freedom Day with Dawn’. Camps would be set up outside Dawn’s offices and press clubs across the country, he added.

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