MUMBAI: Satellite operator Panamsat has announced that CNBC Pakistan has signed a multi-year, multi-transponder deal for the distribution of its programming across Pakistan.

Under the terms of the agreement, Panamsat will support the contribution, studio interchange as well as the distribution of this leading business news network across the country. Owned and operated by the Pakistani company Vision Network Television Ltd. (VNTV), the network is supported by NBC/Universal’s CNBC and will have full access to CNBC’s global programming network.

Panamsat VP Asia Pacific David Ball says, “With our far-reaching footprint across Asia, PanAmSat, continues to attract new customers who want powerful transponders that cover every square inch of the continent. Delivering the first major business television network to a new country is a critical achievement for PanAmSat. We’re very pleased that such a highly regarded customer as Vision Network Television would choose our fleet to deliver the CNBC Pakistan service.

CNBC Pakistan’s distribution channel will uplink from Karachi to Pas-10 and will downlink to cable operators in Pakistan for domestic distribution. In addition, through PAS-7 and PAS-12, there will be links to Karachi from CNBC Asia’s studio in Singapore and VNTVs studios in Islamabad and Lahore for remote story injection and live interviews. In addition, VNTV will use the PAS-12 satellite to provide IP data connectivity between its three key sites within Pakistan.

CNBC Pakistan project engineer Aaron Shaw says, “The agreement with PanAmSat will provide us with complete coverage of Pakistan, enabling CNBC to provide the international-quality programming that our viewers expect. By establishing local operations in Pakistan, we can tailor our programming specifically to our viewers bringing them the news they want to see via the PanAmSat fleet.”

Broadcasting from state-of-the-art studios and production facilities in Karachi, Islamabad and Lahore, CNBC Pakistan will transmit live programming in both Urdu and in English from a Pakistani perspective.