Pakistan’s media regulator launches crackdown on TV channels airing Indian content as tension escalates

Earlier according to media regulatory norms, Pakistan's PEMRA allowed only 86 minutes of Indian content to be aired by the channel daily.

Published: October 6, 2016 11:39 PM IST

By India.com News Desk

Pakistan's media regulator launches crackdown on TV channels airing Indian content as tension escalates

Islamabad, October 6: As tension between India and Pakistan escalates to next level after surgical strikes, Pakistan’s media regulator had launched a crackdown on TV channels airing Indian content in their country. The tension between the India and Pakistan, both nuclear-armed countries is high since four militants attacked an army base camp in Uri, Jammu and Kashmir which was later followed by surgical strikes. According to some experts, it’s not only about surgical strikes or Uri attacks, but the tension between the old rivals are high since Indian security forces killed Hizbul Mujahideen poster boy Burhan Wani in July, in Jammu and Kashmir, which was later followed by a series of protest and several encounters in the Valley.

The problems between the old rival neighbours increased when four heavily armed gunmen stormed the Indian Army’s base camp in Uri and killed 19 soldiers, which was later blamed on Pakistan. On the other side, Pakistan had denied the accusations. “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) was quoted by Reuters on Thursday.

Earlier according to media regulatory norms, Pakistan’s PEMRA allowed only 86 minutes of Indian content to be aired by the channel daily. But a report suggests that entertainment channels in Pakistan and the local cable operators in the country routinely flout the rules as both – Indian films and TV soap operas – both are famous there. Also Read – TERROR ALERT at 24 airports across India, including Delhi!

The sale of Indian D2H (Direct-to-Home) service is also forbidden but common in Pakistan. On Tuesday the authority at PEMRA said in a statement that it had given it chairman the authority to revoke or suspend the license of any company that aired illegal Indian channels or Indian content “without providing show cause notice and without giving the opportunity to respond”. The statement further added that “after October 15, action will be taken against all violators without discrimination”.

Today’s crackdown came a week after Pakistani cinema owners said that they had stopped screening Indian films showing their “solidarity” with the country’s armed forces after India said it had carried out “surgical strikes” in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. As usual, Pakistan has denied that any such strikes took place in Pakistan occupied Kashmir.

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