MUMBAI MIRROR (February 23, 2019)

A petition has been filed with the Lahore High Court seeking a complete ban on trade, exhibition and selling of Indian films in Pakistan. This is in retaliation to Bollywood’s call for a ban on Pakistani artistes in the wake of the Pulwama terror attack on February 14 that claimed the lives of 40 CRPF troopers.

Sheikh Muhammad Latif who filed the petition, pleaded through his counsel that the Import Policy Order 2016 announced by the federal government banning import of Indian films and content be imposed again. It wasn’t effective the first time because then Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, through a notification of the Ministry of Information on January 31, 2017, had announced the screening of international films, including those from India continue under the garb of revival of Pakistani films and industry.

On February 17, FWICE and 24 crafts of the Indian film and television industry had issued an inviolable diktat, warning filmmakers against working with actors and singers from across the border. Producers of films like Total Dhamaal, Luka Chuppi, Arjun Patiala and Made In China have announced that they won’t release their films in Pakistan.

MUMBAI MIRROR (July 19, 2017)

The Lahore High Court 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.

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. “The world has become a global village,“ Justice Shah observed.

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 reports, 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 argued in court on Tuesday that a ban on Indian teleplays appeared strange when Indian films were being openly aired.