ISLAMABAD: The Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) on Tuesday warned all its licensees against “broadcast/distribution” of advertisement of surrogate companies in any manner whatsoever with immediate effect.
The warning was given through a prohibition letter addressed to all the licensees including satellite Television (TV) channels, radio stations, all landing rights permission holders and distribution network operators.
PEMRA said that it was issued in continuity of its earlier letters “wherein office memorandum/advisory issued by the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting, Islamabad with regard to “Zero Tolerance for Surrogate Companies” were circulated among licensees for compliance”.
” The Authority, while exercising powers vested under Section 27(a) of the PEMRA Ordinance 2002 as amended by PEMRA (Amendment) Act 2023, hereby prohibits Broadcast/distribution of advertisement of surrogate companies (in any manner what so ever) with immediate effect which are promoting gambling/ bet
ting in different sports events being telecast/ broadcast/ rebroadcast in the country and refers the matter to Council of Complaints (Islamabad) for appropriate recommendations to the Authority, ” it noted.
“In case of non-compliance and/or on repeated violation, legal proceedings under relevant provisions of PEMRA laws shall be initiated,” PEMRA warned.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting has already vowed zero tolerance against the surrogate companies of the ‘betting house’.
In earlier advisory, the Ministry has urged all the ministries, departments and organizations not to engage in any kind of contract or cooperation with the surrogate companies illegally operating in Pakistan, especially on print, electronic and social media.