67 Cities Awarded FM Radio Licenses

ISLAMABAD, Nov 8 (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 08th Nov, 2016 ) : Sixty seven cities were awarded FM Radio licenses in 9th phase of FM licensing in a two-day open bidding process that concluded on Tuesday.

Bidding was held on November 7 and 8, 2016 at PEMRA headquarters here. 53 companies participated in the bidding for 77 FM Radio licenses. Bidding for 67 cities was divided in two days and on the first day, bidding was held to award the licenses for 34 cities; Attock, Astore, Awaran, Benazirabad, Bahawalnagar, Bannu, Buner, Barkhan, Chaghai, Chicha Watni, Chiniot, Charsadda, Dadu, Dera Allah Yar, Dera Murad Jamali, Digri, Dera Ghazi Khan, Daska, Dera Ismail Khan, Diamer, Gilgit, Ghizer, Ghanche, Gojra, Hafizadad, Hunza Nagar, Hala, Hangu, Jacobabad, Jhang, Jaranwala, Jahangera, Jhal Magsi and Jaffarabad.

Whereas bidding for 33 cities namely Khairpur, Kharian, Kalachi, Kila Saifullah, Layyah, Matiari, Matli, Mehrabpur, Mandi Bahauddin, Mian Channu, Mailsi, Mansehra, Mardan, Mushakhel, Pattoki, Pasroor, Paharpur, Pishin, Qamber Shahdadkot, Shikarpur, Sakrand, Shahdadpur, Sialkot, Shahkot, Shabqadar, Sibi, Skardu, Thatta, Takhatbai, Toba Tek Singh, Usta Muhammad, Wazirabad and Zhob was held on November 8, 2016.

The highest bid amounting to Rs 25.5 million was for Sialkot, Rs 20.5 million for the FM Radio license of Jaranwala, Rs 19 million for DG Khan, Rs 17.55 million for Chiniot, Rs 10.6 million for Charsada and Rs 10.1 million for Kharian.

It was also decided that all the cases in which only one application was received or applicant company withdrew its application and not participated in the bidding will be submitted to the authority for policy decision.

Nargis Nasir, Member PEMRA Punjab, Shaheen Habibullah Member PEMRA Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Salman Baig Director Pakistan Telecommunication Authority, Waqar Ahmed Deputy Director Frequency Allocation board and senior Management of PEMRA were also present during the bidding proceedings.