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The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday lifted a ban imposed by Pakistan
Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on the airing of Indian
teleplays, declaring it null and void as the federal government had no
objections regarding the same.
Pemra had issued a notification imposing a blanket ban on all Indian
content on Oct 19, 2016, after relations between Pakistan and India
soured after the Uri attack last year.
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M/s Leo Communications, TV channel Filmazia's parent organisation,
sought to overturn the ban as it had not been imposed by the Government
of Pakistan.
The petition challenged the Pemra circular as being beyond the powers of
the regulatory body and the Constitution, and claimed that the
government was indulging in "selective patriotism" because even though
Indian movies were allowed to be screened all over the country, they
could not be aired on television.
Although Pemra's ban on the airing of Indian films was lifted in
February this year, permission to air teleplays or television dramas was
not granted.
The petitioner's counsel Asma Jehangir argued in court today that a ban
on Indian teleplays appeared bizarre while Indian films were being
openly aired.
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Pemra's counsel claimed that the ban had been imposed since India had
imposed similar restrictions on all Pakistani content.
LHC Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah stated that Indian content with
objectionable or anti-Pakistan content could be censored but there was
no need for a complete ban.
"The world has become a global village," Justice Shah said, asking how
long unreasonable restrictions would be imposed.
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The LHC judge also asked why Pemra was making the airing of Indian
content an issue when the federal government had no objections regarding
the same.
Justice Shah remarked that the court should be informed if the Indian
government had issued a notification to ban Pakistani content and
maintained that Pemra must review its policies. |