Islamabad, Dec. 24: Cable operators throughout Pakistan today stopped airing some 35 banned television channels but threatened a complete shutdown from Monday against the government’s directive that preceded the move.

The directive has put off the air all Indian and South African channels, including STAR Plus, one of the most popular Indian channels in Pakistan, B4U movies, B4U Music, STAR Utsav, MNET, MM1 and MM2.

“Closure of 35 channels is a regulatory action to force cable TV operators to air only legitimately subscribed channels and stop showing those banned by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority,” a spokesman for the authority said.

“The action was taken after the authority received complaints from these channels,” the spokesman added, asserting that the authority has been urging cable operators to show only those channels they subscribe to.

The authority accuses the operators of illegally downloading programmes and airing them, thus causing revenue losses to these channels.

But the shutdown threat by cable operators has alarmed local satellite channels like Geo, ARY and Indus networks and Aaj TV. They have approached the operators to find a way out which would allow the cable operators to stay on air.

Cable TV operators have mushroomed in the country over the last two years and, apart from nearly a thousand that are registered, countless others operate illegally.

Ranging from news to entertainment programmes, these cable networks show a host of local and international channels, including CNN, BBC, Sky News, Fox TV, Al Jazeera, National Geographic, Discovery, MTV and several Indian channels which are banned in the country.