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Pakistan Suspends Star TV License
Pakistan suspended a license guaranteed to the Hong Kong-based Star TV Company on Thursday, December 14, for decoder distribution and selling of its TV programs in the country, saying the company had fixed tariff without its approval.
"They have been directed to get their tariff approved from as per license conditions," the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) said in a statement.
The company has further been directed to desist from selling their decoders and suspend their activities in Pakistan till their tariff is formally approved by the authority.
A PTA spokesman expressed the hope that the Star TV officials will soon start negotiations with Pakistan on the tariff issue.
Star TV Company, the first company to get the license for decoder distribution in Pakistan some two months ago, has also been told to provide statistics and tariff of their network operations in the region.
Cable operators in Pakistan have been critical of the Star TV tariff, saying it is receiving only 4 rupees (7 US cents)from an Indian subscriber for each channel while in Pakistan it had introduced a package of eight channels and receive 87 rupees (1.47 dollars) for it, according to the statement.
Pakistani cable operators demand that the Star TV should not force them to buy eight channels together.
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