Cable operators call off strike

Cable operators were observing a 24-hour token strike today from 12 noon onwards.

The Cable Operators Association of Pakistan (COAP) late Saturday night called off its country-wide strike after receiving assurances from the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting.

COAP chairman Khalid Arian told The Express Tribune that the Information Minster Firdous Ashiq Awan had accepted the conditions laid down by the cable operators.

Arian said the government would be inviting a delegation of cable operators to Islamabad soon to sort out the details.

Earlier, the association had decided to observe a 24-hour token strike during which all private TV channels would be blocked, 12 noon onwards.

Officials of the association said that the strike was called because the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) had raided their offices and confiscated their equipment.

Addressing a press conference in Islamabad, the operators said that Pemra conducted the raids on the request of Geo TV, which they said, was trying to misguide the Supreme Court (SC).

They said Geo TV was threatening the cable operators through various political parties.

The cable operators had said that during the strike, all private channels will be blocked, while state channels will remain on air.

They said that according to Pemra laws, the cable operators have the right to run whichever channel they want, while Geo only has authority on its satellite channel.

The cable operators also informed their customers that they would be changing up the order of all the channels in the next 48 hours.

Earlier on Friday, the chairman of the association Khalid Arain had officially announced the token strike.

Arain had said that if Pemra does not return their equipment, the association will extend the strike even further.