Pakistan court lifts ban on airing of Indian teleplays

A Pakistani court on Tuesday lifted a ban imposed restrictions on airing Indian teleplays by Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority by calling it a unreasonable restriction.

Granting the permission to private television channels to screen Indian teleplays, the Lahore declared PEMRA's ban as null and void given that the federal government had no objections regarding the same.

Although Pemra's ban on the airing of Indian films on television channels was lifted in February, 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 strange while Indian films were being openly aired.

LHC Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah said the 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. How long unreasonable restrictions could be imposed,' he said.

He further said when Indian movies are being screened in cinemas in the country what justification the Pemra has to ban them on TV channels. The judge also snubbed the Pemra for making the airing of Indian content on private television channels an issue when the federal government had stated that it had no objection on it.

Shah inquired the Pemra to tell the court whether the Indian government had issued a notification to ban Pakistani content and its overall policy about it. In October last year, Pemra had banned Pakistani private channels being operated through cable network from airing Indian content.