Lahore: The Lahore High Court (LHC) on Tuesday struck down a ban imposed by the Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) on the airing of Indian TV shows in the country and said the federal government had no objections to Indian TV programmes being aired.
Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said Indian content with objectionable or anti-Pakistan content could be censored but there was no need for a complete ban, reports nation.com.pk.
“The world has become a global village,” Justice Shah said.
The petition challenging the Pemra ban contended that imposing a ban was beyond the powers of the regulatory body and the Pakistani constitution.
According to nation.com.pk, the petitioner also claimed that the government was involved in “selective patriotism” because even though Indian movies were allowed to be screened all over the country, they could not be shown 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. Petitioner’s counsel Asma Jehangir argued in court on Tuesday that a ban on Indian teleplays appeared strange when Indian films were being openly aired.
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.
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, Dawn online reported.
The petitioner’s counsel Asma Jehangir argued in court Tuesday that a ban on Indian teleplays appeared bizarre while Indian films were being openly aired.
Pemra’s counsel claimed that the ban had been imposed since India had imposed similar restrictions on all Pakistani content.
Justice Shah said 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.
