MUMBAI: Pakistan's federal cabinet on Monday decided to award TV channel licences to 22 cross-media contenders, overruling the advice of the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) for an open bidding, minister for information and broadcasting Sheikh Rashid Ahmed was quoted in India's not-so-friendly northern neighbour's media as saying.

 
Ahmed was quoted as saying the Pakistani cabinet also, "By over-ruling the advice of Pemra for an open bidding, the cabinet has retained its earlier decision that subject to the code of conduct, licences will be issued to cross-media owners," the minister said. The National Assembly in its new session beginning on July 16 would amend the necessary law for the purpose, the information minister said.

The channels which have been approved for the award of licence are: Kawish TV network (Kawish), TV media network Pvt (Express), Interact Pvt (Khabrain), Sahafat Vision (Sahafat), Dolphin Media (Halchal), Asia News Network (Jinnah), General Newspapers (The Leader), Karachi, Daily Pakistan (Daily Pakistan), Qaumi Akhbar Communication (Qaumi Akhbar), Khyber Broadcasting Services (Akhbar Peshawar), Mehtab Publications (Ausaf, Islamabad), Motherhood, Pakistan's First Parenting Magazine (Motherhood Magazine), Daily Nawa-i-Waqt (Nawa-i-Waqt), Total Medial Ltd, Islamabad (World Call Group), Recorder TV Network (Business Recorder), Interact Pvt Ltd (Zia Shahid family), Sachal Satellite Communication (already holds FM radio licence), Pakistan Herald Publications (Dawn Group of Newspapers), Development Asia Company (holds an FM radio licence), Total Media Ltd (World Call Group), Independent Newspaper Corporations (Mir Shakeel of Jang Group), and Independent Media Corporation (Mir Ibrahim of Jang).