Cable operators on Wednesday announced that there would be no broadcasting and internet services suspension in Karachi after successful negotiations with the K-Electric (KE) and on the Karachi commissioner guarantee against the domain of working.
The residents across the metropolitan city had been experiencing two-hour of suspension of broadcasting and internet services in the evening from the past two days as a protest called upon by the All Pakistan Cable Operators (APCO) and the Internet Services Providers Association (ISPA) against the KE.
The operators, in a media talk on Monday, had accused the KE of cutting down its wires and demanded of Prime Minister Imran Khan to take notice of the matter.
“After successful negotiations with the KE and on the Karachi commissioner’s guarantee against the domain of working, we are announcing that there will be no suspension of our services in Karachi,” APCO and ISPA Chairman Khalid Arain said while addressing a press conference. He was accompanied by KE Chief Distribution Officer Amir Zia and Karachi Commissioner Iftikhar Shalwani.
Elaborating on the details of the meeting, which was held at the Commissioner House, he said that a three-member committee has been formed to resolve the KE and cable operators’ matters.
The body will comprise one member each from both parties and led by South Deputy Commissioner Irshad Ali.
With such a promise, he added that it has been decided that there would be no strike.
According to the chairman, a written agreement will be signed between both parties in the coming days and cable operators would be working as per the standard operating procedures.
“The KE and cable operators will do their own work,” he said, adding that the electricity provider has assured that they would not cut down the cable operators' wire from their poles.
Moreover, the Karachi commissioner and the National Electric Power Regulatory Authority chairman, Islamabad have also assured the cable operators of the promises.
Arian said that any kind of problem or disagreement would be resolved through mutual discussion. The chairman added that the Karachi commissioner played a key role in resolving cable operators’ issue.
KE Chief Distribution Officer Amir Zia said: “We have reached an agreement with cable operators that means that their wires won’t be cut down.”
Shalwani, the commissioner, also stated that the KE and cable operators would do their own work. There were some misunderstandings, which have been resolved, he said, hoping that there would not be such kind of problems in the future.
“Karachi is the economic hub of the country. It is important that institutions in the city work together so that they can serve the public in better way and they can have people’s trust on them,” he said.
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