Sharif Govt Approves Complete Ban on Airing Indian Content in Pak

A PEMRA statement said the ban will come into effect at 3 pm on Friday, 21 October. (Photo: The Quint)

In the midst of flaring tensions between India and Pakistan and a move to clamp down the cultural exchange of actors and artists, Pakistani Electronic Media Regulatory Authority (PEMRA) has approved a complete ban on airing Indian content in Pakistan.

A PEMRA statement said the ban will come into effect at 3 pm on Friday, 21 October.

Radio and television stations which violate the ban will have their licences suspended without a prior show cause notice.

PEMRA statement

The authority also decided to cancel one-sided rights given to Indian media by the former government of General Pervez Musharraf, in 2006.

Earlier in October, PEMRA had also granted chairman Absar Alam the final authority to suspend licences of channels that were airing Indian content without sending any prior notice to the regulatory body.

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif walks past Prime Minister Narendra Modi. (Photo: Reuters)

The move has come after sections in India are rallying for a ban on Pakistani content and artists.

The hugely popular Pakistani shows on Zee’s Zindagi channel have already been banned.

The Nawaz Sharif government too had earlier suggested banning Indian content in a "tit-for-tat" move, after which Alam’s PEMRA sent a request to the federal government, asking for a complete ban.

A crackdown has also been put in place against illegal Indian Direct-to-Home (DTH) sets, as well as television channels airing more than six percent of Indian content.

As per the law in Pakistan, only 10 percent of airtime is permitted to foreign content, but the maximum limit for Indian content is six percent in 24 hours.

Actors from Pakistani soaps on Zindagi. (Photo: Altered by The Quint)

Back in India, the MNS has asked for a ban of Pakistani actor Fawad Khan starrer Ae Dil Hai Mushkil. Director Karan Johar finally had to release a video declaring his patriotism, but pleading for rational minds to allow his film to be released. The future of the film, however, still hangs in uncertainty.

Diplomatic relations between India and Pakistan have taken a major hit following the 18 September attack on Indian army’s headquarters in Uri and the subsequent surgical strikes carried out by India against Pakistan.

(With inputs from PTI, Dawn)