Pakistani Court Stops Airing Of Indian, Foreign Films On TV

LAHORE – A Pakistani courthas stopped the screening offoreign films, serials and televisionshows, especially Indiancontent, on the country’s TVchannels, triggering panic andoutrage among exhibitors andviewers.While staying the beaming offoreign content, Lahore highcourt Justice Khalid MahmoodKhan on Tuesday ruled thatIndian films and television serialswere included in “NegativeList” under the current bilateraltrade regime.He also directed the federalgovernment and the PakistanElectronic Media RegulatoryAuthority (PEMRA) to submita detailed reply in this regard atthe next hearing on December12.The order was issued inresponse to a petition filed lastmonth by controversial TV talkshow host Mubashir Lucman, aformer film producer knownfor his anti-India stance.Lucman had contended thatIndian films and TV serialswere being imported in violationof Pakistani regulations.He further claimed that underPakistani rules, Indian moviesthat are shot completely inIndia and are sponsored by anIndian cannot be screened inthe country.Lucman’s counsel argued thatthe government had allowedthe import and exhibition ofIndian and other foreign filmsand serials through a statutoryregulatory order (SRO) issuedin 2006. “The impugned SRO isin clear violation of Pakistan’simport policy and the rules ofPEMRA,” the counsel claimed.PEMRA fined televisions channelsfor violating regulationsbut this failed to stop themfrom airing foreign content, hesaid.