Ban on Indian content on local television channel to continue in Pakistan

Pakistan’s Supreme Court on Tuesday reinstated a ban on the airing of Indian content on local television channels. The hearing of the case was taken up by a three-member bench of the apex court which was headed over by Justice Gulzar Ahmad, reported Dunya News.

During the case proceedings, the court set aside an earlier ruling by the Lahore High Court (LHC) and reinstated a 2016 policy of the government banning the airing of Indian content on local TV channels. Justice Ahmad questioned people if they still want to watch Indian content. Justice Ijaz-ul-Ahsan stated that the high court is not authorised to interfere in PEMRA (Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority) powers.

A counsel of the PEMRA appeared in court and told the court about a policy, which came out in 2006 and allowed airing only 10 per cent of foreign content. Airing Indian content was linked to broadcasting Pakistani material in India. Ever since India has imposed a ban on Pakistani content and artists, a ban has also been clamped in Pakistan.

"On October 19, 2016, PEMRA imposed a complete ban on airing Indian content on local television channels," the counsel for the regulatory authority said. However, in 2017, the LHC had lifted the ban, declaring it null and void as the government had no objections regarding the same. Later, PEMRA challenged the High Court’s decision in the top court.

After hearing the arguments, Pakistan’s SC set aside the LHC order and reinstated the government’s October 2016 policy according to which Indian content cannot be aired on the local television channels. The court has also adjourned the hearing of the case for an indefinite period.

On February 26, in response to air strikes by the Indian Air Force (IAF) against terror camps in Pakistan, the Information and Broadcasting Minister Fawad Chaudhry of Pakistan announced a boycott of Indian films and 'Made in India' advertisements in the country. The minister, in his tweet, had further stated that he has also instructed PEMRA to act against advertisements made in India. This move came hours after India carried out air strikes at a massive Jaish-e-Mohammad (JeM) camp in Balakot in Pakistan's Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province, targeting a large number of terrorists.

A similar decision was taken by India against Pakistani content and artists after the ghastly attack in Pulwama district of Jammu and Kashmir. Makers of a few films including ‘Total Dhamaal’ and ‘Notebook’ among others also decided that their films will not screen in Pakistan.

(With inputs from agencies.)