Pakistan Supreme Court Reinstates Ban on Indian Content on Local Channels

The Lahore High Court lifted the ban in 2017, declaring it null and void

Published: October 27, 2018 7:34 PM IST

By India.com News Desk

India-and-Pakistan

New Delhi: Pakistan Supreme Court on Saturday reinstated a ban on Indian films and television shows being broadcast on the country’s local channels. As per Dawn reports, the apex court was hearing a case filed by the United Producers Association pertaining to the broadcast of foreign content on Pakistani television channels.

Highlights

  • Hearing the case, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar ordered a “shut down” and made it clear that authorities should “only air appropriate content”.
  • However, the Lahore High Court lifted the ban in 2017, declaring it null and void as the Pakistan government had no objections regarding the same.
  • In 2016, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) had imposed a ban on airing Indian content on local television and FM radio channels.

During the hearing, Chief Justice of Pakistan Mian Saqib Nisar ordered a “shut down” and made it clear that authorities should “only air appropriate content”.

 “They are trying to (obstruct the construction) of our dam and we cannot even ban their channels?” Nisar said.

In 2016, Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (Pemra) had imposed a ban on airing Indian content on local television and FM radio channels.

However, the Lahore High Court lifted the ban in 2017, declaring it null and void as the Pakistan government had no objections regarding the same.

Lahore High Court Chief Justice Mansoor Ali Shah had said Indian content with objectionable or anti-Pakistan content could be censored but there was no need for a complete ban.

The petition challenged the Pemra ban contended that imposing a ban was beyond the powers of the regulatory body and the Pakistani constitution.

In 2016, Pakistan’s media regulator had launched a crackdown on TV channels airing Indian content in their country after the surgical strikes conducted by India.

The tension between the India and Pakistan had escalated after four heavily armed gunmen stormed the Indian Army’s base camp in Uri and killed 19 soldiers. Later, Pakistan had denied any surgical strikes took place but said that two of their soldiers were killed in cross-border firing by the Indian Army.

“Given the recent tensions between India and Pakistan, the public is demanding that Indian channels and sitcoms to be completely banned in the country,” a spokesman for Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) had said.

(With PTI inputs)

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