Contempt For Content, Is King: Pakistan SC Bars Private Channels From Airing Indian Television Shows And Films

The Supreme Court of Pakistan on 5 March (Tuesday) barred private channels from airing Indian films and television shows, amid escalating tensions between the two nations.

The Justice Gulzar Ahmad-headed three-member bench took up the case in which an order of the Lahore High Court (LHC) which allowed Indian channels in Pakistan was challenged, reported Business Standard.

A Pakistan Electronic Media Regulatory Authority’s (PEMRA) lawyer, who challenged the LHC ruling, informed the court that the government, through a policy in 2006, allowed airing of 10 per cent foreign content on local channels. However, a complete ban was imposed by PEMRA on Indian content on local television.

Furthermore, the lawyer argued that Indian authorities banned airing of Pakistani content, hence PEMRA has to adopt similar measures. In 2017, the decision of PEMRA was challenged in the LHC, which ordered that the ban on Indian content be lifted.

The Supreme Court, after hearing the matter, set aside the LHC order and reinstated the 2016 policy of PEMRA banning the transmission of Indian content on local television channels.