(26 December 2006 6:00 pm)

MUMBAI: Pakistan will soon open its doors to direct-to-home (DTH). Pakistan's minister for information and broadcasting and senator Muhammad Ali Durrani says that the ministry would soon launch DTH in collaboration with the private sector.

Media reports state that he was addressing the participants of a capacity building course of Information Group Officers here at the Information Service Academy (ISA). Director General ISA Ghulam Hazoor Bajwa was also present.

The minister, during his lecture, said the government believed in development of an independent media which is the most effective accountability tool.

The government he says, believes in the development of an independent media, which is the most effective accountability tool. If the government policies are free of corruption, nepotism and malpractices, the independent media helps its functioning by making it more efficient and vibrant.

He says that the government will fully facilitate the capacity building of the private media and the ministry is taking steps to ensure transmission launching of private TV channels from Pakistan.