ISLAMABAD, Nov 11 (APP): The federal government has urged all the ministries, departments, and organizations not to engage in any kind of contract or cooperation with the surrogate companies illegally operating in Pakistan, especially on print, electronic, and social media.
The Ministry of Information and Broadcasting in a letter distributed among different departments and organizations said that some surrogate companies were illegally engaged in sponsoring and advertising contracts with a number of media outlets and sports enterprises in Pakistan.
According to the letter, the companies that are engaged in betting include dafaNews, 1XBAT, MCW Sports, Wolf777News, BJ Sports, and MELBAT.
In view of the above, Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) has been asked to direct Pakistan Super League (PSL) franchises and other cricket-related organizations to immediately discontinue all kinds of contracts and business.
Earlier on September 25, the ministry also issued a statement, advising all the stakeholders to avoid doing business with surrogate companies and immediately terminate their existing agreements with them.
It was noted that some betting outfits have entered the Pakistani market with slightly amended titles; such a phenomenon is labeled as surrogacy, and such firms are called surrogates of the mother enterprises. They are engaged in sponsorship and advertising contracts with a number of media outlets and sports enterprises.
The ministry also asked the Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA) to block all such websites and applications containing illegal betting by the aforesaid surrogate companies, as well as the social media handles of other individuals or organizations containing or displaying the logos of these surrogate companies.
APP/msr